Vincit Qui Patitur
by MuzzledRavings
Summary: A lifetime of service to the Legion leaves more than just physical scars. Felix knows this. He knows he's a monster and nothing he can do will change that. Still, he tries. Tries to leave that life behind. Tries to make a living as a courier. But things never go as planned. He didn't plan on getting shot in the head. And he certainly didn't plan on allying with a First Recon Sniper
1. Memento Mori

Vincit Qui Patitur

_Vincit Qui Patitur_– He conquers who endures

A lifetime of service to the Legion leaves more than just physical scars. Felix knows this. He knows he's a monster and nothing he can do will ever change that. Still, he tries. Tries to leave that life behind. Tries to see what else the world has to offer. Tries to make a living as a courier. But things never go as planned. He didn't plan on getting shot in the head. He didn't plan on getting pulled back into the war. And he certainly didn't plan on allying with an NCR First Recon sniper who would kill him in a heartbeat if he knew the truth about Felix.

**Chapter 1: Memento Mori (Remember, You Are Going to Die.)**

"You got what you were after, so pay up." The demanding voice woke Felix. He immediately noticed his hands were tied and he was lying in the sand.

"You're crying in the rain, pally." Felix opened his eyes to see a man in a checkered coat standing nearby with two thugs with shovels beside him.

"Guess who's waking up over here?" A third voice spoke as Felix dragged himself to his knees.

"Time to cash out." The man in the checkered coat said as he dropped his cigarette. _Cash out?_ Felix thought to himself. He knew that term. It meant… Even though his hands were tied, Felix surged to his feet, charging the checkered bastard. The thugs dropped their shovels, and dashed forward to grab Felix's arms. They were stronger than the average wastelander and managed to hold him back. Felix still felt sluggish from being unconscious and his head hurt like hell.

"Would you get it over with?" One of the thugs said as he held Felix still.

"Maybe Khans kill people without looking them in the face, but I ain't a fink, dig?" The checkered bastard removed Felix's package from his coat pocket and flashed it in front of the Felix, flaunting his victory. "You've made your last delivery kid. Sorry you got twisted up in this scene." The checkered bastard stowed the small platinum chip in his pocket and withdrew a pistol. "From where you're standing it must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck. Truth is... the game was rigged from the start." Felix broke away from the thugs as the shot was fired. Everything went black.

"You're awake. How about that." Felix froze at the voice, fiercely resisting the urge to take control of the situation. Instead, he sat up. "Whoa, easy there. Easy. You been out cold a couple of days now. Why don't you just relax a second? Get your bearings." Felix looked around the room. He sat on some sort of medical table in an old wooden house. Around him were tables covered in medical tools. Across from him sat an older man. He was in considerable pain and he felt stiff, slow and sluggish. His vision was blurred around the edges and there was a slight ringing in his ears.

"Let's see what the damage is. How about your name? Can you tell me your name?" The old man asked.

His name? Felix didn't want to answer any questions. He didn't even want to speak. Speaking was difficult; he had to be aware of every word he said and let nothing slip. But he remembered being shot. He should be dead. He wasn't. Was that because of this man? If so, he deserved an answer.

"Felix." Felix answered. His voice was rough and raw; hoarse from disuse.

"Huh. Can't say it's what I'd have picked for you. But if that's your name, that's your name." The man laughed. "I'm Doc Mitchell. Welcome to Goodsprings."

A _doctor_? A _real_ doctor? What the hell had Felix done to deserve such special treatment?

"Now, I hope you don't mind, but I had to go rooting around there in your noggin to pull all the bits of lead out. I take pride in my needlework, but you'd better tell me if I left anything out of place." The doctor handed Felix a mirror. Felix took it and looked at his reflection. His nearly colourless, pale blue eyes were immediately drawn to the long stitched gash on the left side of his head near his hairline. Below the gash, right near his temple was a second much smaller stitched cut.

He _was_ shot, and in the head! How had… "You saved me?" Felix muttered without thinking first.

"Yup. After Victor dragged you in here, I set right to work. Wouldn't have even tried but you was clinging to life something fierce and built solid as an oak. I figured I'd give you a chance. No sense keeping you in bed anymore. Let's see if we can get you on your feet."

Unsteadily, Felix got to his feet. He was naked except for his boxers. Standing, he was just shorter than the doctor but was much more intimidating. Every inch of him was raw muscle but he was still lean and fast. His strength wasn't shown in how much he could lift but in how long he could hold the weight. As obvious as his muscles were, the scars he bore were more so. His back was a mess of long scars that went from just above the collar of a shirt down to his boxers. Long, vertical lines of varying width crisscrossing over each other in a grotesque pattern leaving barely an inch of skin untouched. The rest of him was also scarred but with less severity. Healed cuts, bullet holes and burns were scattered about to such an extent that he forgot where some of them came from.

"Surprised anybody'd want to tangle with you. Heck, you could go Deathclaw hunting with a switch." Doc Mitchell laughed. "Here, put this on. Never was much my style anyway." The doctor handed Felix an old vault suit and pointed out the bathroom were he could get cleaned up. Felix simply nodded and did as he was told.

In the bathroom was a barrel of clean water with a jug beside it and some towels. Felix went about cleaning the dirt, sand and blood off him. Then he went about washing the same out of his hair. As he cleaned up he made sure to keep his head wound dry. Felix had short white hair that was about two inches long. It wasn't long enough to be shaggy and just short enough to stay out of his eyes. Felix's white hair and ice blue eyes were the only things he had left from his tribe. He couldn't remember what the tribe had been called but he did remember the word for his condition; albinism. Everyone in the tribe had had it, to varying degrees. With Felix, it only affected his eye and hair colour, his skin was relatively normal, if not a little lighter then was common. You might have called him pale, if he hadn't spent his lifetime working outdoors.

When he was finished, he took a moment to examine himself in the mirror. He was ruggedly handsome, or at least that's what people told him. He had sharp features and a piercing gaze. As he looked at himself his eyes fell on his back and for a moment he turned so he could see the scars. A lot of memories came flooding back; memories of pain. He quickly looked away. When he was finished, he headed back out to Doc Mitchell; sporting the vault suit he'd been given.

"I can't pay you." Felix said when he came out of the bathroom. He knew nothing in life was free; especially kindness.

"Didn't think you'd be able to. Didn't have a thing of value on you when you was brought in and everything you was wearing is better off burned." Doc Mitchell said happily.

"Then why did you help me?"

"Call it karma. Go do a good deed for the town and we'll call it even." Felix didn't quite understand that but nodded nonetheless. He turned toward the door. "Well, if you're heading back out there, you ought to have this. They call it a Pip-Boy. I grew up in one of them vaults they made before the war. We all got one. Ain't much use to me now, but you might want such a thing, after what you been through. I know what it's like, having something taken from you."

Felix's brow drew down in contemplation as the doctor held out the wrist mounted gadget. He knew what a Pip-Boy was; at least he'd seen people with them before. He knew they were valuable but he didn't know why the doctor was _giving_ it to him. Felix didn't have a chance to argue as Doc Mitchell took his hand and started buckling the Pip-Boy securely in place.

"Uh… what does it do?" Felix asked, looking down at the technology strapped to his left wrist. Doc Mitchell proceeded to give Felix a thorough tutorial on how to use it. Felix asked a lot of questions and more than once had the doctor repeat himself. After finally committing to memory all the hard words, Felix nodded his limited understanding.

"Oh, I almost forgot. This is yours. Was all you had on you when you was brought in. I hope you don't mind but I gave the note a look. I thought it might help me find a next of kin. But it was just something about a platinum chip." Felix reached out to take the note from the doctor. He recognized the note as his delivery contract. He had never bothered to read it before since everything was clear cut. He made a point to remember to read it later. "You should talk to Sunny Smiles before you leave town. She can help you learn to fend for yourself in the desert. She'll likely be at the saloon. I reckon some of the other folks at the saloon might be able to help you out, too. And the metal fella, Victor, who pulled you outta your grave. Anyway, you ever get hurt out there, you come right back. I'll fix you up. But try not to get killed anymore."

Felix nodded and headed out the door. He stood under the bright Mojave sun for several minutes getting his bearings and reorienting himself. He scanned the town, feeling the sand between his toes and the wind in his hair. He had nothing but a vault suit, a Pip-Boy and a note. But he had his fists and that was all a legionary needed to be ready for combat.

Felix made his way down to the saloon. The sand was hot on his bare feet but he ignored the pain, a useful skill picked up from many years in the Legion. Being up and around had helped work out some of the stiffness in him limbs but his vision was still blurry around the edges and he still felt weak. The pain in his head felt like someone was driving a metal spike into his temple but pain alone wouldn't kill him so he pressed on. Eventually he made it to the saloon and headed in.

He heard a growl from inside the saloon as his eyes adjusted to the dim lights.

"Cheyenne, stay. Don't worry; she won't bite unless I tell her to." The woman in leather armour beside the dog said. Felix couldn't help the slight smile that touched his lips. He paid no regard to the woman and merely bent down to the dog's level. The dog trotted over and put its head in his hand. Felix rubbed at the dog's ears. He'd always had a fondness for dogs. "Look at that, she likes you."

"Uh… Sunny Smiles?" Felix asked as he looked up at the woman. "Doc Mitchell said you could help me." Part of Felix wanted to scream in rage the other part of him wanted kill Sunny where she stood. A _woman_ could be no help to a legionary, except in bed. But Felix wasn't a legionary anymore. He bit his tongue to keep himself from speaking and forced his hands to relax as he pet the dog.

"Yeah, I guess there's a thing or two I could show you. Sounds like you need all the help you can get after what they done to you. Meet me outside, behind the saloon." Sunny said happily and headed out back. Cheyenne left Felix behind to follow her master.

Felix took several deep breaths to calm down. Since he'd left the Legion he'd met many capable women, but it was still hard to look at them as the equals the NCR claimed they were. He doubted Sunny could teach him anything but he followed her anyways. He headed outside and found Sunny waiting for him. When he approached she held out a rifle to him.

"What?" Felix asked, not getting the hint she was handing over the weapon.

"Take it." She said and gently shook the gun. Felix took the gun in unskilled hands. Legionaries rarely used guns. He'd never had any training with a firearm. "You're looking mighty awkward with that gun."

"I…" Haven't fired a gun before. Haven't been trained to handle a firearm. Haven't _needed_ a gun before. "… don't know how to use a gun."

"What?" Sunny asked in obvious surprise. Felix rolled through half a dozen excuses in his mind, all lies, before he settled on just a shrug. "How do you defend yourself?"

"Barehanded." Felix shrugged again.

"Ah. I see. Well, we'll start from scratch." And start from scratch they did. Bullets, mags, loading, aiming, firing, reloading in combat, types of guns, types of ammo and weapon modification were all discussed at length. Felix spent the rest of the day learning from a woman; something any true legionary would be disgusted by. Eventually Felix started hitting his targets.

"Well, that's a start. But I don't reckon you came to me to learn to fight sarsaparilla bottles. Tell you what. I gotta go chase geckos away from our water supply anyway. Darn critters are attracted to it. Why don't you come along?" Sunny asked in the early evening. Felix agreed. Doc Mitchell had asked him to help the town; clearing the water source seemed fit that request.

Felix followed Sunny to the source. Once there he managed to kill two geckos with the five bullets in his mag. Then he used the butt of the rifle to cave in the skulls of two more.

"Hey! You're getting the hang of it." Sunny said happily. "Grab a gecko and we'll take it back to Trudy. I'm sure she could use some fresh meat. And here are some caps for helping me out." Sunny continued and handed Felix a handful of caps. Then they headed back to the saloon together with Cheyenne leading the way.

"Uh… Th-thank you, Sunny." Felix stumbled on the words. It wasn't common for him to thank someone and he'd never thanked a woman before.

"Don't mention it. Just get that gecko to Trudy the bartender alright?"

Felix nodded and they headed into the bar. Once inside, he headed into the other room to find Trudy.

"Well, you've been causing quite a stir. Glad I finally got to meet you. Welcome to the Prospector Saloon." Trudy greeted warmly.

"Uh, Sunny asked me to give you this." Felix said, passing the gecko over the bar.

"This will make excellent gecko stew tomorrow." Trudy said as she took the gecko. "Why don't you have a seat and let me get you something to eat."

"I don't have much money." Felix said as he reached into his pocket.

"Don't you go fretting over it. Consider it thanks for bringing in dinner." Trudy headed into the back with the gecko and returned with a heaping bowl of cold stew. Felix took the bowl and spoon he was offered. He took a tentative bite and found it was quite tasty. He also discovered he was ravenous. Trying not to simply inhale the food, he ate with care so as not to make himself sick. As he ate, Trudy talked at him about all sorts of things. She talked about the NCR and the Legion; voicing her opinions that the NCR was spread too thin but had good intentions and that the Legion was a bunch of slavers, rapists, and killers who dress up like Roman soldiers. Felix stuck to eating his stew as she slandered the Legion. He'd noticed on this side of the river, Trudy's opinions about the Legion were common.

Without prompting Trudy starting talking about what happened to Felix and about the Great Khans and the man in the checkered coat. She mentioned they were headed to the Strip but would have to go east and take highway 93 north to avoid the deathclaw problem in Sloan. Felix filed away that tidbit of information.

When Trudy started talking about the problem the town was having with the Powder Gangers. Felix listened intently.

"So these, Powder Gangers are threatening the town?" Felix asked to be sure. Felix could dissuade these Powder Gangers from coming near the town if he had a machete and time but once he left they'd just come back. The town needed a reputation for being able to defend itself. Doc Mitchell had asked Felix to help the town. This should suffice. Felix would find this Ringo character in the morning.

Felix asked Sunny if there was someplace he could spend the night. Sunny pointed him toward the old schoolhouse. He bid goodnight to the folks in the saloon, trying desperately to think of the woman as equals, and headed to the general store. In the general store, he traded the vault suit and the caps he'd gotten from Sunny for a solid pair of leather boots, a pair of light cargo pants, a light coloured t-shirt, a machete, a cowboy hat and sunglasses.

The praying mantises in the schoolhouse were easily dealt with and Felix soon had a relatively safe place to spend the night. Before he settled in, Felix pulled the Mojave Express contract out of his pocket and set about reading it. What little knowledge he had of reading and writing came from his tribe. He knew the alphabet and the sounds of the letters. He knew most of the smaller words and could sound out the larger ones.

Felix read through the contract several times before he had a decent understanding of what it said. It said exactly what he'd originally been told: 'Take the platinum (a kind of metal, Felix had asked.) poker chip to the entrance to the Strip in Freeside and bring back the payment.'

Simply reading and understanding the contract took half an hour. That was one thing about the NCR Felix had always been slightly envious of; supposedly all of their soldiers could read. A simple thing but it was not required of a legionary. Felix could read a map though and quite well, so he would be able to use that feature of the Pip-Boy to its fullest extent.

Finally, Felix found a spot on the floor in the corner of the schoolhouse and tried to get some sleep. It was difficult because of the pain in his head, but sleep would bring with it a respite from the pain. So he lay, quiet and still for quite a while before he fell asleep.


	2. Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum

**Chapter 2: Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum (If You Want Peace, Prepare for War)**

Felix woke to his grumbling stomach. Evidently, one bowl of stew wasn't enough to sate a hunger that had been building for days. Other than his empty stomach he felt much better after a decent night's rest. His head still hurt but his vision was clear and his ears weren't ringing. He got up and stretched to work the kinks out of his back. After that he did his usual morning exercises; an old Legion habit, but a useful one to stay in shape. When he was finished he headed out into the bright morning to find Ringo.

Ringo almost got the shit kicked out of him. When Felix found him at the gas station, Ringo pulled a gun and Felix reacted by taking the gun and knocking the wind out of him before he could stop himself.

"Ringo?" Felix asked holding Ringo's gun by the barrel as Ringo was doubled over in pain, leaning against the wall.

"Who's… asking?" Ringo panted.

"Powder Gangers are threatening the town because of you." Felix said as he flipped the gun to hold it properly.

"Dammit. I'd hoped they'd just leave me be." Ringo sighed as he finally got his breath back.

"I'm going to form a…" Felix knew the word he wanted; he'd had to put down enough of them himself. "Militia. You're coming with me."

Ringo started to look worried. "Listen, I-"

Felix grabbed his shirt collar and shoved him toward the door. Ringo walked down toward the town in front of Felix since he didn't have a choice. They headed for the saloon.

"Good morning!" Sunny greeted happily when they entered.

"Who's the thug, Sunny?" Ringo said as he shifted to put Sunny between himself and Felix.

"It's only a matter of time before the Powder Gangers get organized enough to attack. You need a way to defend yourselves. A militia would work." Felix said coldly.

"A militia, eh? Sounds like a plan! However, between you, me, and Ringo, we aren't exactly a force to be reckoned with. A lot of people around here look up to Trudy. If you could convince Trudy to join us, some of the folks in town might decide to help out as well. I know Easy Pete's got a stock of dynamite somewhere, and Chet just got a shipment of leather armor we could borrow. Talk to them as well. Finally, there's a good chance we'll all end up with extra holes in us, so if Doc Mitchell could cough up some extra stimpaks, that'd be great."

Felix didn't like that this was all being left to him but he nodded anyways. Before he turned to leave he offered Ringo back his pistol. Ringo snatched it back and glared at Felix. Felix headed into the bar to talk to Trudy.

"So, you're planning on taking on Joe Cobb's gang. It's a big risk, but I suppose you have to do what you think is right." Trudy said when she saw him.

"Will you help?" Felix asked.

"It's not that I don't want to help, it's just that we don't want to risk our lives for nothing."

Felix considered the area. "Near the saloon and store are good spots to stage an ambush - if I had the help."

"That does sound like a good plan. All right, you seem to know what you're doing, so you can count me in. Let me have a word with a few other folks and I'll see if I can't round up some more members for this militia you're creating. While everyone does own a gun, we could stand to be a little better equipped. The general store probably has what we need in stock."

Felix nodded and headed out to see Doc Mitchell. The doctor greeted him happily when he came in. "Welcome back. I had hoped you wouldn't need to come see me again so soon. What can I do for you?"

"The town is going to be attacked by bandits. Anything you can do to help?" Felix asked bluntly.

"Seems like wherever I go it's always the same. Folks just never leave each other alone. I'm not much good in a fight, with my bum leg. And my supplies are scarce. But I'll give you what I can spare." Doc Mitchell handed over a few stimpaks.

Felix looked down at the stimpaks in his hand. It dawned on him that the doctor probably used these to save his life. Felix had never used them before since all chems were prohibited in the Legion. "Doc." Felix began hesitantly. He hated asking for help. "How do you use these things?" The doctor gave him a surprised looked before he launched into a brief explanation on how to apply a stimpak and when they were best used. Felix thanked him for his help and headed out again.

Felix got nowhere when he spoke to Chet about the leather armour. Chet talked him in circles and as much as Felix wanted to knock his head off his shoulders and _take_ the armour, he didn't. He left the store furious at the cowardice and self-centeredness of the owner. Felix then decided against asking for the dynamite from Easy Pete. It'd be like giving a machete to a child; they'd be just as likely to hurt themselves as someone else. Felix got the townsfolk into position and then went out to find some sign of the Powder Gangers. He found a group of them outside town.

"Pick a fight or get lost." Felix growled at them.

"Excuse me?! Did you just... you fucking did!" The Powder Ganger didn't like his tone apparently. When Felix retreated back to the town, they followed him. Felix found a house and ducked behind it so he could draw his rifle. He and the town opened fire on the angry thugs. Felix didn't feel like getting into melee with people wielding dynamite. He managed only a few hits on the Powder Gangers but with the whole town shooting it was over quickly.

With the powder gangers dead, Felix went about the duty of removing the corpses from the town without being asked; he knew the sickness the dead could carry. Two at a time, he carried one and dragged the other up to the graveyard. When he got to the graveyard with the last two bodies he found Sunny and a few townsfolk waiting for him. She offered him a shovel when he approached. Felix considered for a second and then took the shovel. In the Legion, bodies were usually burned. Enemy corpses were burned in piles. Legionaries were usually burned solo, on a small pyre. High ranking officers were burned on large pyres. After they were burned the ashes would usually be buried. He was unaccustomed to burying a body.

Felix, Sunny and the three townsfolk spent the afternoon digging a grave for the Powder Gangers. They looted the bodies before putting them in the grave. When everything was finished, Sunny and the townsfolk bowed their heads for a few moments as Felix just watched. When they were done and all headed back to town, Sunny came up beside Felix as they walked and clapped him on the back happily. The gesture was familiar but a woman touching him without his permission made his hand twitch toward his machete.

"Thanks for standing with the town!" She said happily. Felix simply nodded for fear of shouting at her. "Trudy's making that gecko you brought in yesterday into a feast for the town. So you're staying another night, right?"

Felix couldn't deny the idea of eating his fill was appealing. Even if he had to be surrounded by the town as he did it. When they got back to the saloon everything was already prepared. Apparently the townsfolk had all pitched in on the supplies for dinner so the saloon was packed with the whole town. Felix took a heaping plate of gecko steak, maize, potatoes and carrots and slid into a booth. He was half finished when Sunny joined him.

"You're a quiet one, aren't ya?" She asked as she settled in across from him.

He wasn't. Felix liked to talk and he could even be funny. But if he said even half of the things he was thinking, the town would have run him out long ago. "It's easier." He answered when it became apparent that Sunny wanted a response.

"Easier, eh? Well, if that's how you want it. Here, I got you a present." Sunny reached under the table and then put four full 5.56mm mags on the table.

"Ammo?" Felix asked in confusion.

"Call it a going away present. You'll only get better if you practice."

"I can't pay-"

"It's a present, doofus!" Sunny interrupted. "You're leaving in the morning right?" Felix nodded, wondering what a doofus was. "To find the people who put you in the ground?"

"Yes."

"Well, you be careful out there. And come back and visit!" Sunny said happily.

Come back and visit? That was the first time anyone ever said that to Felix. He nodded and Sunny slipped out of the booth and began socializing with everyone else. Felix ate until he was just beyond full. It was good food and Felix was sure it'd be awhile until he had anything similar.

When he was finished, he carefully excused himself and headed to the general store. Felix didn't _need_ anything beyond his machete to survive in the desert, but every item he could get his hands on would make life easier. With the loot he'd scavenged off the Powder Gangers, Felix was able to procure most of the items he wanted. He got a sturdy pack and a proper belt to hang his machete from. He got a canteen and a backup combat knife. The one thing he did splurge on was an old world lighter. Once he was finished resupplying, he headed for the schoolhouse to get some sleep.

Felix started the day early. He left Goodsprings just as the sky was lightening with his varmint rifle and pack on his back. The moment he lost sight of Goodsprings, he started jogging. He didn't jog because he needed to or because he was being chased, he did so because that's what he was used to. He was used to covering long distances quickly; it'd been his job for years. Even after he left the Legion and stopped being a speculatore, he took a job as a courier and that also required him to travel quickly.

He found a decent pace and stuck to it until he spotted some geckos on a hill. Felix could dispatch them easily with his machete but Sunny had given him bullets to practice his marksmanship. So he stopped and tried to hit the geckos before they go too close. Only two of five shots hit so he was forced to kill the geckos with his machete. Felix was coming to realize a gun needed a much steadier hand than a machete.

As he traveled south he kept an eye out for any useful plants and stored anything he found in his pack. He ran afoul of a few Powder Gangers as he traveled but his aim was getting better and he was usually able to sneak up close enough to manage a kill shot.

As the sun started to set Felix realized he'd had a good day. He'd used all of the ammo Sunny had given him and the practice was helping. His pack was full of Xander Root, Buffalo Gourd Seeds and Banana Yucca fruit. He wandered off the roads and found a suitable spot to sleep. After eating his fill of Buffalo Gourd seeds he lay down and put his head on his pack, his hand on his machete and he tried to sleep.

Felix managed a few hours of sleep and was on the road at first light. His head was still bothering him but he ignored it since otherwise, he seemed to be in good health. It was late morning when he saw the town in the distance. When he got close enough he saw a guard in unmistakable NCR armour. He also saw a flagpole proudly waving the two headed bear flag. Felix stopped in his tracks. Even if he wasn't with the Legion anymore he had served Caesar for nearly twenty years. In that time he had done _many_ things that the NCR would deem unforgivable. If they found out what he was, there was no doubt in Felix's mind that the NCR would execute him. Felix secured his pack in place, knowing it would cover his scars, and took a deep breath. He forced his hand away from his machete and slowly walked toward the trooper.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going? Primm is off limits!" The soldier shouted to Felix.

That confused Felix. Did the NCR usually block off towns? He'd been in Primm a few days ago when he picked up his delivery. He'd avoided the NCR presence completely then. What exactly was going on? Surely it couldn't hurt to ask. "Why is Primm off limits?" He asked carefully.

"Some convicts from the prison up the road have taken over the town. Everyone inside is either dead or in hiding. What's more, there are two tribes of raiders causing trouble in this area as well. You'd be safer heading back up to Goodsprings."

Wait. Powder Gangers took over the town? _Powder Gangers_? The Mojave was supposed to be NCR territory. "Shouldn't you be protecting the town or something?" Felix thought aloud. He mentally kicked himself for saying that out loud.

The trooper groaned. "We'd love to, but they don't fall under NCR jurisdiction. Even if they did we're in no shape to protect them. We don't have the equipment to take out the convicts, and even if we did we need some extra hands for backup. You should talk to Lieutenant Hayes. He's in a tent down the road. Just stay on the west side of the overpass if you don't want to get shot."

The NCR doesn't have the _equipment_ to take out the Powder Gangers? Felix snorted at his own dirty joke. Still it was interesting to learn that the NCR was so ill equipped that they couldn't fight off a few convicts. Felix nodded and headed into the makeshift NCR camp. There were maybe a dozen troopers including the guard he'd met and the lieutenant he had been directed. He found the officer in a tent going over some papers.

The lieutenant looked up as Felix entered. "I'm Lieutenant Hayes of the New California Republic Army, 5th Battalion, 1st Company. What's your business?"

"I need to get into Primm." Felix said carefully.

"Primm has been overrun with convicts." Hayes sighed.

"Isn't it your job to keep the town safe?" Felix asked.

"We were sent out here to hold back the tide of convicts from the correctional facility. As you can probably tell, we aren't doing the kind of job we could be doing. The problem is with supplies. The convicts are better armed and organized than our intel initially suggested. I'm trying to get some reinforcements here, maybe some guns with some firepower, but... shit... things are just going slow."

_Guns_. Felix thought. Without a gun, an NCR trooper was practically useless. Felix didn't particularly need to get into Primm. He knew that his attackers were headed to the strip but someone in Primm may have seen them and he might be able to get more information about the delivery from the Mojave Express office.

"Can I go into town?" Felix asked.

"Why?"

"I need to visit the Mojave Express Office."

"It's probably empty. Most of the townsfolk are holed up in the casino." Hayes explained.

"If you have no problem with it, I'm going to see if I can help them." Felix didn't want to get on the NCR's bad side.

"Fine but don't say we didn't warn you."

Felix left the tent and found a place to stash his pack. With his rifle over his shoulder and his machete in his hand he crossed the bridge into town. It took little effort to ambush the patrolling Powder Gangers and he left them in pools of their own blood. He headed to the casino and carefully cracked open the door.

"I'm a courier." He called.

"Alright, come on in." He heard called back. Felix headed in to find a few dozen people scattered about the casino. A handful of people were near the door with guns at the ready. "Well now! If it ain't Courier Six."

"You remember me?" Felix said in surprise.

"A fellow like you is hard to forget. What can I do for you?" The old man said happily.

Felix quickly and succinctly told the man what he knew and then asked for help tracking down the man he was after. As he expected nothing came free and he needed to promise to kill the Powder Gangers in the Hotel and free the deputy to get his information. The old man did provide him some additional details on his package thought. He said it was a strange contract for seven couriers and all the other couriers made it. Felix then headed to the Hotel.

The inside of the hotel was dark and cramped, perfect conditions for Felix. He stalked, whisper quiet through the halls leaving silence and dead bodies in his wake. The only time he was spotted was on the main floor in the large dining room. Three powder gangers were talking and two had spotted him when he killed one. All they managed to do was shout before Felix slit their throats and left them to gurgle on their own blood.

When both floors were clear Felix sought out a change of clothes. One good thing about his old armour was that Legion red and black tended to hide all the blood stains. His light coloured clothes were completely ruined. He managed to find a new t-shirt and a faded pair of loose jeans that fit well enough. He then grabbed a bag and looted the bodies. When he was finally finished, he found the deputy. The deputy was still right where the Powder Gangers had left him. He hadn't moved an inch even though all his captors were dead. Felix was disgusted by the deputy cowardice and wouldn't have even spoken to him if he didn't have the information Felix was after.

In the end, Felix found out nothing new. However he did make a profit on all the Powder Ganger gear. He went to retrieve his pack from its hiding place then he traded with the old man for some additional gear and ammo to practice with. He left town and headed toward Nipton at his usually speed. Rather than actually go to Nipton he stuck to the hills and made his way to Novac.


	3. Dii Facientes Adiuvant

**Chapter 3: Dii Facientes Adiuvant (God helps them that help themselves)**

Felix's pack was full to bursting and he carried another bag in his hand when he entered Novac. The raiders had had no idea what they were getting into when they ambushed him on the road. Felix had delightfully taken all their supplies and moved on. Now it was early evening and Felix needed to find a place to trade and a place to spend the night. He headed to the center of town to look at whatever it was that towered over the town. He stood staring for several minutes.

"Pretty? Isn't he?"

Felix whirled around to see an old woman had approach him while he was distracted. He managed to keep his hand off his machete and _even_ managed to hide the growl in his voice. "What _is_ it?"

"It's a dinosaur. Well, a statue of one." She said happily.

"A dino…saur?" Felix asked having never heard that word before.

"As near as I can figure, they were animals that roamed the world a very, very long time ago."

"Huh." Felix said as he glanced back at the dinosaur. "Looks strong and tough with big teeth; definitely a predator. Doesn't look very fast though."

"Well, welcome you. How can this fine town serve you?" The woman said happily.

"I need to trade and I need a place to stay." This was just a stopping point; Felix knew the man in the checked coat was from Vegas. That was where he was headed.

"Well, Cliff can help you with the trading in the dinosaur and I can set you up with a room. It's one hundred caps and you can stay as long as you like."

Felix found the caps and the woman gave him a key. She then pointed out the room and bid him goodnight. Felix headed into the dinosaur to trade and managed to sell his haul for a decent amount of caps. He also managed to buy some throwing knives and finish filling out his gear. He then headed up to the room that had been pointed out and used the key on the lock. Inside was a well maintained little room, complete with bed and bathroom. Felix dropped him things on the bed and checked the bathroom. He tried the taps and was surprise to find they worked and he had access to clean water. Felix grinned happily to himself and immediately striped down for a shower.

Once he was squeaky clean, he cleaned his clothes and headed out to the bed. Beds were a luxury rarely seen by legionaries. If there was one in decent shape available, someone of higher rank usually claimed it. He was so used to sleeping on the ground that he didn't really know what to expect from a bed. With a sigh he sprawled out on the bed. The comfort of a _bed_ with _pillows_ lulled him to sleep in minutes.

Felix _should_ have moved on the next morning but he had money, a safe place to stay and a bed to sleep in. He did something he'd never done before. He slept in. By the time he woke it was almost noon according to his Pip-Boy. The extra sleep did him some good and finally quieted the pain in his head. He decided he was in no hurry and that he would stay in town for another night.

He got geared up and headed out to a tent the town used as a bar. There he got lunch and caught up on the local gossip. Apparently the Legion had taken a town nearby called Nelson yesterday and the residents of Novac were worried about the possibility of an attack. But apparently Novac had some guards that set up in the dinosaur's mouth to watch the East. He was curious about these guards but they hadn't bothered him yet so it didn't concern him much.

What did concern him was when he was heading back to his room and he ran straight into a _Ranger_. For a moment Felix almost panicked. Rangers were known for their skill and the way the Ranger looked at him was almost like he _knew_.

"We haven't met yet." The ranger said happily. "You must be new in town. I'm Andy."

Felix would have breathed a sigh of relief if it wouldn't have been suspicious. "Uh… I'm… Felix." Felix answered brokenly. "You… uh… NCR?" Felix had never been this close to a Ranger before without there being some sort of bloodbath going on.

"Was. Was with them. That was back when my arm and leg used to work better. I still like to pretend I'm a Ranger, though. I'll check in with the guys up at the station pretty regular on the ham radio. Sometimes they stop by, tell me they're paying their respects, the smug bastards. They haven't been responding to me, last couple of days. I guess they got tired of hearing me talk, but it's still got me a little worried. Hell, listen to me talk. Like some damn mother hen."

Felix asked what he hoped were polite and simple questions; tell me about the Rangers, did you do something to your leg, and have you seen a man in a checkered coat. Then he made to get away. As he turned away, the Ranger dropped a heavy hand on his shoulder. Felix froze one hand hovering near his machete.

"If you find yourself by Ranger Station Charlie, let me know what you find. I'd be interested."

Felix nodded. A little goodwill from a Ranger couldn't hurt. He left town at a sprint, heading north. He kept up a fast pace, one the recruit speculatores could never match. He reached the Ranger station in less than an hour. He was winded but still ready to make the run back. Once at the station he knew something was either wrong or the Rangers weren't as diligent as reports had always claimed. He looked around outside and found no one. Eventually he risked calling out and still got no reply.

He figured he'd try the building. He opened the door slowly. The stench of death and decay hit him immediately. He would have gagged if it wasn't a smell he knew so well. His eyes quickly scanned the interior. He knew it was Legion work so he knew to be on guard for traps. He checked the building carefully, ignoring the horrid smell. He found everyone inside was obviously dead. Then he found the tapes on the table. He looked down at his Pip-Boy and decided it couldn't hurt to try. The tapes fit and he played them. A legionary's voice was on one; claiming total responsibility. Felix wasn't surprised; he was barely fazed. He had a good idea how horribly everyone had died. He knew far worse was waiting for him if the Legion even got their hands on him. Felix did feel something he hadn't felt before; a certain _obligation_. It was likely someone would eventually come by and unlike him they may not be expecting the traps. Felix sighed, and then took his time to dismantle the traps he could find. He then left the building and headed back to Novac.

It was just after dark when he got back to Novac. He found Ranger Andy sitting in front of the reception office. "Uh, Andy?" Felix tried carefully, hoping the ranger was above shooting the messenger.

"What can I help you with?" The Ranger answered happily.

"I hustled down to that Ranger station… Members of Caesar's Legion ambushed them." Felix was careful with the pronunciation of Caesar, using the soft s instead of the hard k. He played Andy the tapes as proof.

"Those were good men at the station. Good men. This whole town was sleeping a lot easier because of them. Now, who knows what we're in for? The Legion? Christ, we'd be better off with Raiders." Felix agreed with that entirely. "Well, thanks for telling me. I know that knowledge didn't come without risk." Andy handed Felix a small bag of caps.

"Thanks." Felix said hastily.

Once he was away from the Ranger, Felix decided to check out the mouth of the dinosaur where the guard was supposedly situated. From up there he might be able to see Nelson and see if there were any fires burning there. He headed into the closed but not locked shop and up the stairs. He pushed open the door to the mouth of the dinosaur only to have it pulled out of his hand. He saw the rifle coming up and that pissed Felix off enough for him to lash out. He knocked the barrel away. As he did, he noticed the red beret on the guard. Red berets meant First Recon snipers and snipers had no melee training. He didn't even bother disarming the guard he just clocked him a good one across the jaw and dealt an uppercut to his stomach; both punches were not nearly at full strength. He still had _some_ control. Before the sniper could think to respond to the attack, Felix spun him around and shoved his face and chest into wall with an elbow in his back. Then he wrenched the hand that wasn't holding the rifle up behind the snipers back. First Recon was _useless_ in hand to hand.

"Expecting someone else?" Felix seethed.

Boone knew his hand to hand skills weren't great. Even expecting someone to come for him in the middle of the night, he had been beaten _easily_. Whoever this wastelander was he knew how to handle himself in a fight. Boone may have been bigger then him, but his size had offered him no advantage. If this was the Legion finally coming after him, he was fucked. "Kill me or get the _fuck_ off me!" The sniper growled back, struggling against Felix's hold.

Felix considered carefully. Killing the towns _First Recon_ sniper would probably make them mad and Felix actually _liked_ this place. He wasn't sure he wanted to be banned from the town just yet. Felix had to let this guy go. He glanced around. The area in the dinosaur's mouth was limited; no room to aim a rifle. Even if he released the sniper they would still be close enough for Felix to kill him before he could get a shot off. "_Fine_." Felix seethed back after a moment. "Just keep the rifle _down_." Felix took a step back and released the sniper. The sniper spun around so his back was against the wall, his hands grabbed his rifle and twitched in Felix's direction.

"What the fuck do want?!" The sniper demanded coldly. Not the Legion then… goddammit.

Felix pulled a lie out of the air quickly. Simply coming up to check out the view wasn't going to cut it. "Got news. Ranger Station Charlie was massacred by the Legion."

"What? When?" The sniper replied quickly. Ranger Station Charlie was just down the road. There were _eight_ Rangers stationed there. If the Legion was pushing this far west…

Felix shook his head. "Hard to say. Two days ago maybe? It… wasn't pretty."

"Shit." Legionaries alone and isolated with Rangers at their mercy? Shit, that probably _wasn't_ pretty.

Something about the way he said it made Felix think the sniper knew what he meant. "Thought you should know." Felix shrugged. He glanced out through the teeth toward the east. He could see fires burning way off in the distance. "Anyway, I'll leave you to your work." Felix nodded to the taller man and turned toward the door.

"Wait. You a merc?"

"No. Why?"

"Maybe you shouldn't go. Not just yet. I need someone I can trust. You're a stranger. That's a start." Felix leaned against the wall behind him and nodded for the sniper to continue. "This town... nobody looks me straight in the eye anymore. I want you to find something out for me. I don't know if there's anything to find, but I need someone to try. My wife was taken from our home by Legion slavers one night while I was on watch." _Fuck!_ Felix mind screamed at him. He tried to follow the conversation and not show his shock. "They knew when to come and what route to take, and they only took Carla. Someone set it up. I don't know who."

Felix considered the sniper's words. The Legion came to town and only took _one_ slave? There were barely a hundred people in this town. If the Legion knew how to get past the snipers, it'd only take a few men to take the whole town. "What do I do if I find this person?" Felix asked to keep the conversation going.

"Bring him out in front of the nest here while I'm on duty. I work nights. I'll give you my NCR beret to put on. It'll be our signal, so I know you're standing with him. And I'll take care of the rest. I need to do this myself." The sniper pulled the red beret off his head and held it out to Felix.

_A vengeful sniper. Better not give him a reason to look my way._ Felix nodded and took the beret. "I'll see what I can do."

"Good. I'll make it worth your while. And one more thing. We shouldn't speak again. Not until it's over. No one in town knows that I know what happened to my wife. Best they never know. Or the Legion will be after me next." With that, the sniper dismissed Felix and turn toward the teeth.

_Oh, buddy. _Felix thought_. The Legion already has its eyes on you or they wouldn't have taken your wife._ Felix left the dinosaur and spent another night in that comfy bed.

The next morning, Felix asked around about the sniper's wife, Carla. He ended up wasting the entire day talking to people. Luckily the questions were always the same; always about Carla. In the course of asking questions, Felix met the other town guard, another First Recon vet named Manny Vargas. He discovered Vargas and Boone had been partners while enlisted but had had a falling out over Carla. While Manny did confirm the man in the checked coat had come through town, he didn't help Felix learn anything new about Carla. Finally a babbling madman gave him a clue and he forced the lock on the reception office to check inside after dark. He went right for the safe and managed to pick the lock with a bit of effort. He pulled out the caps and paper inside. He immediately recognized the bill of sale as what is was even though he couldn't read most of it. It was something he had seen a dozen times before. He snuck back to his room and it took him until midnight to decipher the note completely.

Carla was pregnant. The Legion was always after fresh blood. If Novac provided it, the Legion would likely leave them be… for now. He also had the name of the seller, Jeannie May Crawford, the old woman who told him what a dinosaur was. The note was proof enough but Felix wanted the truth straight from the bitch's mouth. And he was not above using his background to fuck with her.

Felix snuck out of his room and found Jeannie May's house easily. He snuck inside and could hear soft snoring. He crept into the bedroom and sat on top of the dresser.

"Ave." He said loudly and forcefully. Jeannie May jerked awake. Felix repeated himself.

"Aww-way?" She said in confusion. "Wait, are you with them Legion folk?"

"Verum." Felix said with a nod in his commanding Legion voice.

"I'll… take that as a yes. Boy, have I been waiting for you!" Jeannie May said indignantly. "That wonderful Mr. Fox promised me five hundred more bottle caps when the baby was born."

Felix didn't know which hit him harder; the fact that this woman sold an unborn child to the Legion or that she had done so through the only frumentarius who dared to use the alias of Mr. Fox. "Indeed. Mr. Fox has asked that I bring you to him so he can pay you himself."

"Oh, Mr. Fox is here?! Wonderful! He's such a nice young man." Jeannie May got out of bed quickly. "Just give me a moment to freshen up."

Felix nearly laughed at the idea of Vulpes Inculta being a 'nice young man'. Instead he glared at Jeannie May to make her move faster. In a few minutes she was ready and Felix led the way to the dinosaur.

"Aren't we meeting in the office again?" Jeannie asked as they walked by it.

"No." Felix growled, still walking toward the sniper.

"But the sniper-"

"The sniper," Felix seethed. "Is of no _concern_." Jeannie May was sufficiently intimidated by his tone and shut up. Soon, they were in front of the dinosaur. Felix didn't hesitate. He pulled off his cowboy hat, his white hair almost glowing in the moonlight and he fit on the beret. He averted his eyes, knowing there would be blood spatter. The shot went off, effectively removing Jeannie May's head and splattering blood all over Felix. He looked down at the body. That was the fate awaiting him if anyone found out about his past. He sighed and pulled off the beret and plopped his cowboy hat back in place. He then headed back into the dinosaur.

"That's it, then. How did you know?" The sniper asked when Felix entered. Felix handed him the beret and the bill of sale in silence.

The sniper read the paper carefully then shoved it into his pocket. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It'd be like them to keep paperwork." He said as he fit his beret back on his head. He pulled a bag of caps out of his cargo pants pocket and handed it to Felix. "Here. This is all I can give. I think our dealings are done here."

"What will you do after this?" Felix asked as he took the caps.

"I don't know. I won't be staying, I know that. Don't see much point in anything right now, except hunting legionaries. Maybe I'll wander, like you." The sniper said darkly.

"Hunting legionaries? A _lone_ sniper?" Felix asked as the wheels turned in his head. "Seven days."

"What?" The sniper asked confused.

"Alone, with only the supplies you can carry? Even staying on _this_ side of the river? I'd bet you the Legion will catch up to you in seven days. Whether its sleep deprivation, starvation, dehydration or you run out of ammo; they'll get you. If one legionary gets within twenty feet of you, you'll end up on a cross."

"Maybe you're right." The sniper said quietly, but with conviction.

"You need someone to watch your back if you want to be effective." Felix began. "If you want to maximize your legionary kill count you need to…" Felix considered. To maximize the amount of legionaries he killed the sniper needed support and that support had to offset his shortcomings. He needed melee support and knowledge of Legion tactics. _Fuck_. He needed Felix. But Felix had gotten away from the Legion. It was never his intention to fight the Legion. He'd only come to the Mojave because he wanted to learn more about the NCR. _How better to learn about the NCR then from one of their snipers?_ The voice in Felix's head asked. But the sniper _would_ kill him if he knew what Felix was. The Legion had taken his wife and child. Felix could do nothing about that but he could help the sniper get a bit of revenge. Who knows? Maybe the revenge would help Felix too. "You need me." Felix finally sighed. He was sure this was going to get him killed… or worse.

"You?" The sniper asked, sizing him up.

Felix nodded in agreement. "But this _isn't_ a suicide mission. We stay on this side of the river and retreat when necessary. We can start with Nelson."

The sniper eyed Felix through his dark sunglasses. "Fair enough." He finally said with a nod. "When do we leave?"

"Dawn. Go get some sleep."

"This isn't gonna end well." The sniper said coldly.

"You want to start a personal war against the Legion. No, this _isn't_ going to end well."


	4. Alea Iacta Est

**Chapter 4: Alea Iacta Est (The Die is Cast)**

Felix shook off sleep and sat up in bed. He was still surprised at what he'd agreed to last night in the dinosaur. He'd have to watch his words very carefully around the sniper and also make sure the scars on his back weren't revealed. Difficult but doable. Felix gathered his gear. He now had a full kit stocked with food, water, clothes, camping supplies and even medical supplies, including a few of those stimpaks.

Felix was also fully geared. He wore a thick leather coat with a pair of cargo pants, a cowboy hat and sunglasses. The cowboy hat and sunglasses were useful in protecting him from the weather and they were also useful in hiding his obviously identifiable features, his hair and eyes. He was armed with the same varmint rifle Sunny had given him as well as a plethora of sharp and blunt objects; machete, combat knife, throwing knives, switch blades and spiked brass knuckles. It was always good to have backup weapons.

Felix knew he should be going after the man in the checkered suit. He should be hunting down his stolen package. But he had come to the Mojave to learn about the NCR. This was the perfect opportunity to do that. The chip and his attacker could wait; his revenge could wait.

Felix left his room and locked the door behind him. _His_ room. He liked that. _His_ gear. _His_ weapons. In the Legion, nothing belonged to you, unless it was _given_ to you. Some deeds earned weapons, some earned slaves. Felix had once had the opportunity to own a slave. He had provided vital strategic information on the weaknesses of a tribe. When it came to the battle, the Legion didn't lose a single man. Felix's centurion at the time had seen fit to reward him for his efforts. The centurion would have offered him a slave but Felix was a speculatore, a scout. He spent the vast majority of his time away from camp doing reconnaissance. He had little use for a personal slave. Instead the centurion had given him Rufus. For four years he had spent every single day with that dog. But Rufus had died.

Felix sighed and turned toward the hotel courtyard. In the predawn light he saw his new partner leaning against the dinosaur. The sniper was wearing cargo pants with just a light t-shirt. He still wore the red beret and sunglasses. He had a machete on his belt and a pistol on his thigh. His rifle was over his shoulder and he wore just a light pack. As Felix headed down to the courtyard he eyed the other man with a more critical eye. In the daylight, he could see that the sniper was pale and gaunt, his face was flushed and his hands trembled, ever so slightly. His tee-shirt hung loosely off his broad shoulders and his belt was two notches tighter than the well-worn hole. Felix also guessed the sunglasses were hiding tired, bloodshot eyes. He looked like he wouldn't last a day in the wasteland but at _some_ point he had probably been in good shape, since he had been in the army.

Felix considered carefully. He didn't _really_ know what love was. It wasn't a concept that was talked about much in the Legion and Felix had never experienced it. But he did know about loss. He'd lost a lot of friends over the years and he'd lost Rufus. At the time, Rufus was Felix's best friend and constant companion. It wasn't the same as losing a wife and child, but it was as close as he could relate. Felix figured he'd have to watch the sniper and figure out if he could be relied upon or if he'd been driven mad with grief.

Felix approached the sniper. "Got a name, sniper?" He asked when he was close.

"Boone." Was the one word reply he got.

"I'm Felix." Felix set about settling his gear into place. "Do you know how far Nelson is?"

"Four hours east, on the river."

"Alright. We're doing it in three." Felix said with a grin.

"What?" Boone asked in slight surprise.

Felix's grin broadened and he raised one eyebrow. "Unless you can't keep up." Boone was getting back into shape, whether he wanted to or not.

Boone's brow drew down. "I got your back."

When Felix saw the Ranger in the distance, he finally stopped. Felix had started with the basics and done the two hour and fifty minute trek to Nelson in intervals of jogging and walking. Felix was barely winded; Boone on the other hand, looked like he was going to throw up from the exertion. He hadn't stopped though and managed to stay at Felix's side the whole time. That had kind of impressed Felix. Now that they were stopped, Boone was nearly doubled over, panting for breath. Felix pulled his canteen from his pack and drank then passed it over to Boone. He was going to warn him not to drink too fast, but he already seemed to know that.

"Catch your breath. Then we'll see what's to see." Felix said as he watched the Ranger and the troopers in the distance. After a few minutes, the Ranger seems to get tired of waiting for them and he came down the road to meet them.

"Hold up there. This area is locked down by the NCR military until we can dislodge some Legion snakes from Nelson." The Ranger said to Felix, and then looked at his partner. "Boone?!"

"Milo." Boone greeted in return.

"Thought you were still on guard duty in Novac."

Boone got a cold expression on his face. "Time to get back to killing the Legion."

"Well, I could sure use some First Recon help. The Legion's got three men crucified down in the center of town. They've been up there forty eight hours. If you can remove the hostages from the equation, I could rally these troopers and we might have the manpower to take back the town."

Mercy killing. Felix glanced over at Boone. The look on his face was grim. Felix knew snipers were in charge of mercy killings, he's seen enough troopers on crosses get a bullet between the eyes. He also knew that killing your allies was not something to be taken lightly. Felix thought for several seconds while the silence enveloped the trio.

"How many legionaries?" Felix finally asked.

"I don't know for sure. Maybe twenty?"

Felix snorted derisively. "I heard Rangers were the best of the best." He glared at the Ranger. "Guess I heard wrong." Felix scanned the immediate area. "Where's the best place for you to set up, Boone?" Boone pointed to a nearby rise and Felix led the way. They snuck to the top of the rise and went prone.

"Alright." Felix whispered from his position beside Boone. "You start. I don't know what I can hit from here but I'll try. Once they get a fix on us they'll try and rush us. When they do, I'll go down to meet them. If anything starts getting too close, whistle and I'll fall back."

"And the hostages?" Boone asked quietly.

"Do you want to kill them?" Felix asked as he glanced over at his partner. He got a glare that was obvious even through the sunglasses. "That's what I figured." Felix considered and then grinned to himself. "We're not soldiers. No one can give us orders. If you don't want to kill them, then we won't." Felix lined up a shot with his varmint rifle. This was the farthest he had ever tried to hit a target from. "You shoot first."

A moment later, Boone fired. Felix opened fire too. It took the Legion several seconds to find the pair. In that time Felix fired off his five shots, hitting with only two. He reloaded and fired off three more before the first legionary rushed the hill. Felix dropped his rifle into the dirt and sprang forward to slide down the hill. As he slid, he drew his machete. At the bottom of the hill, he ducked a machete then countered the strike and killed the legionary. Felix dealt with the legionaries one at a time. Boone seemed to be making sure they only came at him solo. Eventually Felix heard a whistle. He glanced around and made sure he was clear then he climbed the hill.

"Three left." Boone said when Felix got close. "Hiding." Felix nodded and slid down the hill again. He entered the town and stalked around. The first legionary he simply kicked out of cover and Boone took care of. The second died to a machete to the throat and the third picked a bad time to leave his cover. Felix proceeded to check the bodies, making sure everyone was dead.

When he was finished he found Boone already helping one of the men down from a cross. As Felix approached, Boone pulled his varmint rifle off his shoulder and tossed it back to Felix without a word. Felix then helped him get the other two men down. Taking a _living_ man down from a cross was another new experience for Felix. Felix watched as Boone took his canteen out of his pack and offered it to one of the soldiers. _Giving away his supplies? I suppose they are allies._ Felix thought. Hesitantly, he did the same.

"I have to admit, I didn't think you could do it. Guess that makes me the sap and you the hero." The Ranger said as he and the troopers finally came down into the empty town. "I know you've already done enough, but these boys are in rough shape. Think you could provide us an escort to Forlorn Hope?"

"What's Forlorn Hope?" Felix asked.

"NCR outpost a few hours north." Boone provided.

Felix thought carefully. He was fairly certain there was a Legion patrol out at the moment since he hadn't seen any dogs or a decanus. A four man patrol with a couple of dogs could probably take out a Ranger being laden down with three wounded troopers. But escorting them would mean walking into an actual NCR outpost. _What better way to learn about the NCR?_ Felix thought and then grumbled to himself. "Alright." He finally agreed.

It took half an hour to get the troopers in good enough shape to travel. While The NCR tended its own, Felix checked around the town and looted anything of value. Finally he got waved over and the group headed off north.

"Stay on guard." Felix said as he took up the rear with Boone. Boone glanced over at him. How was Felix supposed to tell him that he knew they'd be ambushed? He couldn't just blurt out what he knew. He decided to leave it at that.

After an hour of walking, Felix's instincts told him to be alert. He'd learned long ago to trust his instincts. The legionaries were hidden along the rise they were walking on. The dogs came up the hill first, barking and snarling. Felix hated killing dogs.

"There!" Felix shouted as he raised his rifle. His first two shots killed the first dog up the rise. Boone killed the second. The legionaries came up behind the dogs. They were close, within twenty feet. Boone managed to kill one of the recruits and a second fell to a bullet Felix assumed was fired by the Ranger. Felix couldn't get a clear shot. The decanus used the opportunity provided by his fallen brothers to rush Boone. He got close enough to knock Boone's rifle out of his hands before Felix tackled the decanus. They wrestled for a moment before the decanus lost his footing and stumbled in the sand. He pulled Felix down with him and they both went rolling down the hill. Felix heard more shooting as he slid down the hill but his focus was on the decanus. The decanus, still wielding his machete, was on top of him the moment they reached the bottom. Felix wrestled with the decanus, trying to keep the machete far enough from his vitals. The decanus pulled back and raised his machete high to strike the killing blow. Felix drew his combat knife and shoved it into the decanus's armpit toward his heart. A moment later there was a shot and the decanus's head exploded. The force of the bullet knocked the body off of Felix to land on the ground beside him. Felix was fairly certain the decanus was dead so he laid back in the sand for a moment to catch his breath.

"Still alive down there?"

Felix heard the gruff voice from up on the rise. He pulled himself up to a sitting position then got to his feet. He then made his way up the sandy hill. "You alright?" Felix asked his partner when he reached the top of the hill.

Boone was looking down at his rifle as he was working the slide. "Bastard got sand in the firing mechanism." Boone brought his eyes up to Felix. "You?"

"I got sand in other places." Felix said with a grin.

"Don't often see someone who can hold their own in melee against a legionary." Boone said gazing at Felix through tinted glasses.

Felix shrugged. "I've always been a scrapper." _Shit, shit, shit!_ Was all that was going through Felix's head. "We should move on." Felix added, indicating the troopers that had gotten ahead of them. Boone nodded and they jogged to catch up.

In the late afternoon, Felix saw the NCR camp on the hill in the distance and tried not to panic. _Nobody knows._ Was the mantra he kept repeating in his head as they entered the camp. Felix looked around. It was a large camp with maybe two dozen tents but there definitely wasn't two dozen tents worth of soldiers here. He saw maybe ten soldiers including one who was examining the troopers, probably a doctor, and one who could only be an officer. Felix's brow drew down in thought. Fortification Hill was literally right across the river and this was all the troops they had? So far, he was not impressed. In fact it was quite the opposite; he was surprised the Legion had lost the First Battle of Hoover Dam if this was what the NCR had to offer. It did make Felix think. What did the NCR have that the Legion didn't that gave them the edge? Guns? Doctors? Stimpaks?

Felix felt a nudge to his shoulder that brought him back to reality. He glanced around. His eyes fell on Boone who was looking at him intently.

"The major wants to talk to us." Boone said when he had Felix's attention.

Shit. "Lead on, First Recon." Felix tried to sound casual.

Boone led the way to the largest tent and they headed inside. Inside the tent was vastly different than the tents Felix was used to. Instead of candle and fires, the tent was lit with electric lights powered by a nearby generator. Instead of runners waiting to deliver messages, there was a radio on a table nearby. Instead of fearing their superior, the soldiers seemed at ease around him.

"Two men." The major said as they walked in. "Here I am scrambling to get my hands on as many squads of troopers as I can to deal with Nelson and all it took was _two_ men." He looked toward Boone and offered a hand. Boone took it and they shook hands quickly. "Good to see you again, Boone. Retired life not working out for you?"

"Legions getting too bold." Boone said through gritted teeth.

"Can't argue with you there. We can barely hold this camp, let alone patrol the river." The major said shaking his head. "Who's your friend? Another vet?" He asked as he glanced at Felix.

They thought he was NCR? Better clear that up. "No." Felix said quickly. "Just a courier."

"Well, we appreciate the help. God knows we need it." The major sighed.

"That bad?" Boone asked.

As Boone and the major chatted, Felix drifted off toward one of the boards that had lots of papers pinned to it. He couldn't read the document but the map of the Mojave was _very_ informative. He quickly found the camp they were in. Next he noted the location of several Ranger Stations. "Major." Felix interrupted. "Did you hear about Ranger Station Charlie?" He asked as he traced from Novac to the Ranger Station on the map with one finger.

"Ranger Andy radioed it in yesterday." The major answered grimly.

"Be careful if you go there. The place was rigged with traps." Felix continued.

"Was?"

"I disarmed what I could but I can't be sure I got them all." With the map fully memorized, Felix turned back to the Major.

"We appreciate the assistance. Well, gentlemen, you're welcome to stay in camp tonight. Sadly, it's the most I can offer." Both men nodded to the major. Then Felix followed Boone out of the tent. It didn't take long for Boone to find them an empty tent. Felix went in and sat down on one of the cots.

"I took a look at that map of the area when you were chatting with the major." Felix began as he put his pack down and pulled out some two hundred year old preserved food. "The major said he didn't have enough troops to patrol the river. I think we could start with that."


	5. Veritas Vos Liberabit

**Chapter 5: Veritas Vos Liberabit (The Truth Will Set You Free)**

Felix looked over the fire at Boone. It had been two weeks since they had cleared the Legion out of Nelson. In that time they had fallen into an easy comradery. They rarely spoke expect for combat related call outs. Felix was worried that if he said much beyond this, his secret would get out and Boone didn't seem to feel like talking. Even though they didn't speak Felix quickly learned how best to support his new partner. Often, he wasn't even needed as Boone could kill a four man Legion scouting party in less than six seconds. It was when things went sideways that Felix was up. He kept larger parties from getting too close to Boone and flushed enemies out of cover after Boone's initial shots. As the days went by, they got good at working together and Felix slowly started to trust Boone. Boone had had dozens of opportunities to kill Felix and had instead saved him, twice.

Felix was able to support them in other ways though. He easily found food along their route to augment their limited supply and he was good at predicting where the legionaries would be.

After the first week the Legion caught on someone was hunting them and they sent a large party to scour the west bank. When the pair spotted the first legionary they were already surrounded by legionaries on all sides. Boone had been able to kill most of them before they got too close but the last few had gotten through and Felix ended up defending both of them. Without even realizing it, Felix saved Boone's life. It was only after the fight was over that he realized it.

Now they sat in a usual silence, watching the fire and cooking dinner. They were near the river still, but by paying careful attention to where they set up camp, they were relatively safe.

Felix had been toying with the idea of coming clean for a while now. He knew it would probably get him killed. He had been a legionary after all. He had done many horrible things, even though at the time he didn't know any better. The longer this 'partnership' went on the worse Felix started to feel about lying to Boone. Well, not _lying_ so much as withholding the truth. Still, the man had suffered enough. To let him think he had a trustworthy partner when he didn't would only make things worse. Felix decided if _anyone_ was going to be his executioner, it might as well be someone he'd come to trust.

"Boone." He said, suddenly noticing his dry throat. He overtly set his varmint rifle aside then did the same with the machete on his belt. He even went so far as to remove the throwing knives from his belt.

"What are you doing?" Boone asked in his usually gravelly voice.

"Disarming." Felix said, knowing he was pointing out the obvious.

"Why?" The impatience in Boone's voice was threatening.

"We need to talk." Felix said shaking his head. "Actually, I need to talk. There's something I need to tell you Boone."

"Spit it out then." Boone said roughly.

Direct and to the point as always, Felix thought with almost a smile. "I've been hiding something from you that you deserve to know." This was it. Boone would probably kill him for this. Probably would have killed him when they met in Novac if he'd know. Felix smiled sadly to himself. This was a better death though. Far better than many he had already come close to. To die at the hands of a friend, and a trained killer besides. At least he wouldn't suffer. Boone was looking over the fire impatiently at him. Might as well get to the point.

"I'm Legion." Felix said sadly, not able to bring his eyes up to meet Boone.

"What?" The voice was more confused than angry but it didn't last. A second later Boone was on his feet, rifle drawn and pointed at Felix. Felix waited, staring into the fire for the shot that didn't come.

Felix let out a momentary sigh of relief. "I kinda figured I'd be dead by now. Why aren't I?" He looked up at his once partner over the fire.

"Talk." Boone demanded. The tone inferred the _or else_.

"What is there to tell?" Felix laughed harshly. "I was born in one of the eighty-six tribes the Legion has conquered. Raised as a legionary, reached the rank of Veteran Decanus if you'd believe it. And now I'm sitting across from an NCR sniper whose family was destroyed by the Legion and I'm _still_ wondering why I'm not dead."

"You're a decanus?" The voice was cold and rough.

Felix nodded. "Yup, commanded eight men. Did _horrible_ things. What happened to your wife was _commonplace_." Felix goaded slightly. He heard Boone shift and adjust his rifle. He also thought he heard him growl. "Come on, Boone!" Felix goaded again. "How often do you have an unarmed _decanus_ in front of you? Do it already!"

"You want it quick." Boone said coldly, quietly.

"Ideally." Felix agreed.

"What if I want to drag this out?" Boone said maliciously.

Felix shrugged. "Your call. But I can't guarantee you'll get what you're looking for out of it. Pain and I are like old friends."

"Why'd you help me in Novac?" Boone growled.

"I can't answer that cause I honestly don't know."

"And saving my life last week? This all a ploy to gain my trust?"

"Nah, that legionary had you dead to rights. I could have left him to it. Rejoined my brothers with the offering of a First Recon sniper. It might have actually worked, come to think of it." Felix hadn't considered that. Bringing an elite NCR solider back with him might have settled things. Well, it might have if he hadn't been on a two week long Legion killing binge.

"Why aren't you with them anymore?" Felix heard genuine curiosity there.

"My contubernia was raiding in contested territory when we came under fire. Rangers I think. They thought they killed us to the man. A scavenger came by later. Gave him one hell of a scare when he saw I was still alive. Figured he'd finally put me out of my misery. He dragged me back to his settlement. Lived with them… for a while. Until the Legion raised the village to the ground. Then I was on my own. Became a courier since Caesar's decree was 'courier shall not kill courier'. Figured if anyone recognized me they'd be bound by that."

"And now?" Boone asked harshly.

"Now." Felix said with a sigh. "I don't know. Figured _you'd_ be making that call."

"Now you're hunting legionaries."

"Am I?" Felix questioned. "I was defending myself and my partner." Felix hesitated then slowly pulled himself to his feet. He didn't have to look to know the rifle followed his every move. "Look Boone, I told you because I was sick of lying to you. I'm a _legionary_, one of the same fucks who took your wife. I can't be trusted. If you let me live you have no guarantee I won't kill you in your sleep. All I ask is you do a better job than the other bastards who've tried."

Silence enveloped the small campsite. Only the crackle of the fire and the chirping of crickets could be heard in the quiet night. Felix stared at Boone. Boone glared at Felix. Felix was ready to die. He'd made peace with the fact that he was a monster and nothing he could do would ever change that. Despite that, his survival instincts were still alive and well. And he still had a partner to protect. That's why he didn't hesitate. He charged forward toward Boone, barely dodging to avoid the bullet he knew would come. His boots caught the burning logs and sent them skittering across the sand as the rifle shot rang out. But Boone was a rank amateur when it came to close quarters and he didn't know the distance between them wasn't enough to protect him. Felix just managed to get around the bullet and reach Boone. He shoved him out of the way hard and sent him staggering several steps to his left. Felix managed to hold his footing enough to dodge the lethality of the coming machete but not the strike entirely and he felt the steel bite into his left shoulder and back. Felix was unarmed, but that didn't matter and he brought an uppercut up under the Legion recruit's chin, breaking teeth with the impact. He brought the recruit's face down on his knee and caved in his skull as he heard a rifle sound off in the night. Felix took the recruit's machete before he let the body fall and charged for the next legionary he _knew_ would be there.

Felix managed to slit the legionary's throat quickly, but not before he heard two more shots ring out. Boone was down to one shot; Felix would have to make sure he was safe to reload if there were many more coming. He glanced around quickly trying to find his next target. He heard a gunshot and felt the wind get knocked out of him. Absently, he looked down at the blood slowly spreading across his shirt. Boone had made his decision then. Felix barely kept his feet as the world started to fade. _A much better death than the others_, he thought as he collapsed to his knees. He passed out before he hit the ground.

Boone glanced at the dead legionaries around him. Then he looked down at the dying legionary at his feet. One of the attackers had had a 10mm pistol. Boone's shot had been too slow and Felix went down. So now he stood, rifle in hand, staring down at the legionary he had called partner. The seconds ticked by as Boone considered. The man at his feet's breathing was laboured, the blood stain on his shirt slowly growing as Boone watched. The bullet was still in his chest. If Boone continued to stand by and do nothing, the legionary would die.

Boone gritted his teeth. This was _exactly_ what he wanted. To slaughter every legionary he could find to get revenge. But this one, the one he'd called partner for two weeks, this one hadn't just brought him Jeannie May, he'd also saved Boone's life, twice now. Boone growled to himself. He _owed_ this _legionary_. He stowed his rifle over his shoulder and pulled out his knife. He knelt over the legionary, over his partner. Part of him wanted to plunge the knife into his chest and end it. Another part of him just wanted to sit back and watch him die. The last part was wondering if he could even remove the bullet without killing him.

Felix's eyes shot open the moment he regained consciousness. He ended up regretting that as the bright morning light stung his eyes. He tried to bring a hand up to cover his eyes but his shoulder wouldn't cooperate. He closed his eyes again. Had he survived the night? He tried to take stock of his injuries. He was in a lot of pain. He knew one shoulder was out of commission and breathing was hard. He opened his eyes again and stared at the bright blue Mojave sky. He tried to roll onto his side to attempt to get up.

"Stop."

Felix recognized that angry, gravelly voice. He lay back and looked up at the sky. Forcing his lungs open enough to breath, he tried to speak. "They… get you?"

"No." He thought Boone sounded smug.

"Didn't… expect you'd… shoot to… wound." Felix wheezed.

"I didn't."

"But you… don't miss."

"I didn't shoot you."

Felix finally looked over to see Boone sitting across the burned out fire from where he laid. Boone's white shirt was red with blood and he was cleaning blood off his hands.

"Who's… blood?"

"Yours." Boone said sternly. "Had to fish that slug out of your chest."

Felix lifted his head to look down at his bandaged chest and shoulder. He then let his head fall back into the dirt. Against Boone's advice, he used his good hand to push himself up. White hot pain spiked through his chest and breathing got very hard for a moment when he tried to sit up. He nearly blacked out, but he made it to a sitting position. He looked around. The Legion bodies still littered the ground around them. Beside him was a pile of spent medical supplies; bloody gauze, empty stimpaks and damaged tools. No small amount either; it was probably most, if not all that Felix had brought from Novac.

"I take it this means you aren't going to kill me?" Felix finally said after catching his breath. Boone wasn't stupid enough to waste supplies on saving his life only to kill him when he woke up.

"No."

"Why not?"

Boone was quiet for several seconds. He finished wiping his hands clean and then grabbed his canteen and slacked his thirst. Felix just eyed him suspiciously. Eventually, Boone tossed the canteen over to him. Felix managed to catch it one handed.

"Because you're no legionary." Boone finally answered. "You might have been, once, but you aren't anymore."

"Still doesn't undo everything I've done." Felix lamented as he opened the canteen using his lap and one hand.

"No. It doesn't."

Felix nodded. "Thanks for saving my life, Boone. It was fun while it lasted."

Boone shook his head slowly. "Can't let a former legionary roam the Mojave freely."

"Gonna turn me in then?" Felix asked before taking a much needed drink.

"Think a First Recon escort should be sufficient."

Felix nearly spat out the water he was drinking at Boone's words. "I don't think you've thought this through, Boone." He said when he finished drinking.

"You follow NCR laws and we'll get along fine."

"Slight problem there; I don't _know_ NCR laws."

"Guess you need the escort then, eh?"

Felix couldn't help the chuckle. "Alright Boone, guess it's up to you to keep me on the straight and narrow."


	6. Qui Non Proficit, Deficit

**Chapter 6: Qui non proficit, deficit (He who does not go forward, loses ground)**

"Can you stand?" Boone asked gruffly.

"Ye-eah." Felix said quickly but haltingly. He tried to pull himself to his feet, but the white hot pain in his chest made him flinch. He managed to reach his feet on the second try. Felix stood in just his pants and boots. His sunglasses had been broken and somehow his hat had gotten bloody beyond saving. He had his weapons on his belt. His chest had been bandaged as well as his left shoulder. Other than the bandages his back and chest were bare.

Boone had already gathered all their equipment. He had his own pack on and he was carrying Felix's. He also had Felix's rifle.

"We should head back to Novac." Boone said roughly. "I'm almost out of ammo and we need more medical supplies." With that Boone stared walking. Felix caught up quickly and walked beside him.

After a mile of silence, Felix finally spoke. "Are you _sure_ you don't want to kill me?"

"Why? You want to die?" Boone retorted gruffly.

"Not particularly. I just… didn't expect anyone from the NCR would hesitate to kill me if they knew what I was. Especially you."

"I didn't expect to hesitate either." Boone growled before taking a deep breath. "What are you doing here?"

"You needed someone to watch your back." Felix smirked. "Back in Novac I got the feeling you were heading out on a suicide mission." Felix shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at the sky. "It seemed like a waste. A little bit of my knowledge coupled with your marksmanship could make us a deadly pair."

"Your knowledge?"

"Wasn't it super convenient that I knew exactly where to find the Legion patrols?"

Boone looked over at Felix. "Figured I was getting lucky."

"Nah. Once I had the lay of the land, their patrol routes became obvious." Felix said with a grin.

"Huh. This might be a beneficial relationship after all." Boone considered for a moment. "Does anyone else know?"

"No, just you. I try to be careful with what I say. The scars would give me away quick too, so I usually hide those."

"That's what the Legion does to its soldiers?" Boone asked glancing at Felix's back.

"It's normal in the Legion." Felix said with a shrug. "Even the best legionary messes up occasionally."

They walked toward Novac all day. When night came they camped in the hills. Felix was exhausted and fairly convinced that if Boone did want him dead, he would have already killed him. Felix slept like the dead. Even though he kept up all day, he was still in a lot of pain and exhausted by the time they camped. They headed toward Novac again in the morning. Felix shrugged into a spare shirt and carried his own rifle and pack now.

"You're a shit shot, you know that?"

"Hey! I killed two of them!" The raiders had attacked from a distance. With his shoulder still injured Felix had stayed beside Boone and fired from there.

"And I killed eight."

"Yeah? Well, let's throw you in the middle of six legionaries with only a machete and see if you make it out alive!" Boone glared at Felix. "Alright! Alright. You _know_ the Legion rarely use firearms. I'd never even fired a gun until a few weeks ago!"

"How'd you learn?"

"A local merc. She showed me the ropes. Made me not entirely useless beyond twenty yards."

"Still pretty useless." Boone said bluntly, then considered carefully. "I could use a capable spotter."

"And _I_ could use a loyal contubernia at my back; looks like we're both shit out of luck."

"Not necessarily."

"What? Thinking of swapping me out for your old spotter?"

Boone's head shot up and his eyes went cold. "No. Thinking you _might_ be trainable."

"You said it yourself Boone, I'm a shit shot." Felix snorted in laughter.

"You first picked up a gun a month ago." Boone began. "And you have no formal training. Some NCR soldiers pick up a gun for the first time eight weeks before they hit the desert. Most soldiers would kill for this chance."

"It's not that I don't want to learn. In fact, it's the opposite. First Recon is widely feared among the Legion. It'd be a privilege to learn to shoot that well. But I don't think you're thinking clearly, Boone. I'm a legionary, remember? Teaching me is like giving away your secrets to Caesar himself." Felix explained. In speaking freely, he hadn't thought twice about what he said and he pronounced Caesar with the hard k. He saw Boone flinch at the pronunciation.

"Do you want to learn or not?" Boone said harshly.

"Of _course_ I want to learn but-"

Boone interrupted. "Then we need to get you a decent rifle." With that, the conversation was over.

They approached Novac around midday.

"How do you know the town isn't going to turn on you for what happened to Jeannie May?" Felix asked as they walked into town.

"Cause I dealt with the body." Felix nodded his understanding. As they walked toward the dinosaur, the other man in town who wore a red beret came out to meet them.

"Thought you might be dead." Vargas said bluntly when he was close enough.

"Not yet." Boone replied darkly without stopping.

"Should've at least said something before you left. The Boone I knew wouldn't just _abandon_ his post." Vargas said with a snort.

Boone finally stopped and looked at his old partner. "Nothing worth defending in this town."

"Yeah. I guess you don't have any friends here, do you?" Vargas said as he crossed his arms. "Carla saw to that."

"You better watch what you say." Boone seethed.

Vargas just shrugged. "I'm not saying anything that isn't true. The whole town's glad she left."

Felix hesitated when he saw Boone move to swing. He wasn't sure if this was something he should get involved in. Vargas obviously had more hand to hand experience than Boone and quickly turned the tables. As Vargas went to put Boone in a headlock, Felix stepped in. A foot on Boone's knee forced him out of Vargas's grasp and a twist of Vargas's wrist coupled with a shove sent Vargas stumbling away from Boone.

_Desino, iuvenis_ was what Felix almost said. He caught his tongue just in time and spoke the English instead. "Enough, children." Neither First Recon vet liked being referred to as a child and glared menacingly at Felix. Felix just stood between them smugly. "As much as I may enjoy watching two NCR vets duke it out in the middle of the street, I have a companion's back to watch. You want him, you go through me."

"Hey, man, _I_ didn't start it." Vargas said sternly.

Felix shook his head. _Poke the bull, you get the horns. _He thought to himself. "Is this going to be a problem?" He asked aloud.

"As much as I want to send you packing, NCR patrols won't shut up about the work you two are doing. Keep this town safe, and you'll always have a place here." Vargas said before turning around and heading back to his post.

"Come on." Boone growled. "Let's resupply."

They left town the next morning.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Felix hazarded after a mile of silence. Boone didn't respond. They spent another week along the river. Boone used every opportunity to teach Felix to spot for him. He also critiqued Felix's shooting.

"At this distance, gravity effects the bullet so aim high." Boone lectured while Felix lay prone at his feet.

"The fuck is gravity?" Felix asked as he looked up from his scope.

"Are you kidding me?" Boone looked down at Felix. "You're not kidding." Boone pinched the bridge of his nose. At times like this, he realized he took his NCR education for granted. "You know when you throw a ball up, it comes back down, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's due to gravity."

"Okay."

"So the further a bullet travels the farther it falls."

"Oh, so I arc it, like a spear?" Felix tried.

"Sort of, but not so drastically." Boone wasn't a great teacher, but Felix was a fast learner. Mostly. Boone kicked Felix's leg roughly. "Fix your feet."

Felix glanced back at his feet and kicked his feet out so they were flat against the ground and not up on the toes. "Sorry."

Pickings along the river were getting slim, so they were using a molerat for target practice. Felix hit with two of three shots.

"Alright, let's go."

They came upon a Legion patrol just before dark. They shot from the ridge but the last legionary, a decanus, had found cover so Felix headed down to flush him out. He charged the legionary and quickly got within striking distance. But the decanus was skillful. He managed to disarm Felix of his machete quickly but soon Felix managed to do the same. They then fought hand to hand, much too close for Boone to get a clear shot. Something about the way the decanus fought was familiar and after a few strikes it felt more like a sparring match than a life or death battle.

"Felix?!" The decanus said in shocked disbelief.

The voice coupled with the martial prowess finally triggered Felix's memory. "Blasius?!" Felix replied in the same shocked disbelief. The fight was over and they just stood staring blankly at each other. Felix shifted sideways and put himself between Boone and the decanus. He then pulled off the sunglasses and cowboy hat he usually wore when fighting the Legion.

"You're supposed to be dead!" Blasius said as he pulled off his decanus helmet, revealing identical stark white hair to Felix's.

"I know." Felix said sadly.

"Wait… You're the melee support with the sniper? _You're_ the one whose been killing our raiding parties?!"

"Yes." Felix replied with a sigh.

"Come on, Felix! You owe me more than a one word answer!"

"I'm done with the Legion, alright?!" Felix shouted. "I'm done perpetuating the slave army!"

"The Legion is the winning side and you had it all! Why turn your back on that?!"

"Felix." Felix heard the gravelly voice from behind him and glanced over his shoulder to see Boone approaching with his rifle up.

Blasius face palmed. "Fuck me, a First Recon sniper?!"

"What the hell's going on, Felix?!" Boone seethed.

"I'm wondering the same thing!" Blasius roared.

"Boone. He's… he's my brother." Felix finally stammered.

"Your brother?" Boone asked in surprise.

"Stay back, Boone." Felix said quickly. "Beyond ten feet."

"Protecting your sniper?" Blasius said harshly. "Well, well. It looks like you have a choice to make, _brother_." Blasius said, crossing his arms over his chest. "We both know you will beat me in a fight and we both know the sniper is within your kill range. Kill the sniper and bring back that stupid hat as proof. I won't even tell them you were his accomplice. You could get your position back, maybe more if you have any inside intel." Blasius paused for a moment. "Or kill me. Work with the enemy sniper until the Legion breaks the NCR at the dam. Then, when they catch you, and they _will_ catch you, you know exactly what will happen. I wonder how many days they'll be able to keep you alive. A week? Maybe two? You always were the best at withstanding pain."

"I do admit," Blasius continued. "I'm surprised the sniper hasn't gone for the double kill. It would probably be his best choice."

"Felix." Felix heard Boone from behind him. "Make the choice."

Felix didn't know what to do. Blasius was right. He was in the position to kill either of them and there was no getting out of this without killing one of them. The seconds ticked by until finally, Felix made his decision.

Blasius didn't even have a chance to react before the knife was in his stomach.

"Bastard!" Blasius yelled as he tried to draw his own weapon. Felix prevented him from doing so. "You'll never be one of them! You'll always be a legionary!"

"I know." Felix replied sadly as he withdrew the knife and slashed his brother's throat. This close, Felix got covered in blood but he didn't push Blasius away. Instead he watched as the life died in his eyes. When he was dead, Felix kicked him back so he fell to the ground. He stared for several seconds then turned away abruptly. He saw Boone standing more than ten feet away with his rifle still up.

"Loot the bodies like we usually do." Felix said sternly. "I… I need a minute." Felix walked off into the desert.

Felix never left Boone's sight range. He just stayed at a distance while Boone looted the bodies as they usually did. When he was done, Boone headed off to find a campsite. As he built the fire, Felix came back and dropped a slightly mutilated gecko beside Boone. Then he sat at the edge of the ring of light given off by the fire, just staring out into the wastes.

Boone didn't know what to say so he just went about their usual camping routine as Felix sat. Eventually he settled on something. "What did you lose?"

"What?" Felix asked

"Your brother said you had it all. What did you lose?" Boone repeated less sternly.

"I was a veteran decanus speculatore." Felix began, not looking over at Boone. "That's a scout. I was damn good at what I did. I could cover more ground faster than anyone else. I was so good I even worked with the frumentarii on a few occasions. I had a reputation for being reliable. The information I brought back was always accurate. I was even recognized by my centurion for my outstanding service once. They gave me Rufus."

Boone saw the hint of a smile come to Felix's lips. That unsettled Boone. "A slave?" He asked, disgusted.

"No. I was away from camp too much to make use of a personal slave. Rufus was a dog. _My_ dog."

"A dog?"

Felix made a noise of confirmation. "Trained by the former members of the Hangdogs. Loyal companion. Ran with me, ate with me, slept with me, and even saved my life a few times. That cocky little furry bastard." Boone could hear Felix smiling. "In the Legion, nothing is yours. From the boots on your feet to the machete in your hand to the food on you plate. It all belongs to Caesar. But Rufus was mine; the only thing that was mine. If he was still around today, I may well have sided with Blaze today so I could get him back."

"Why didn't you?"

Felix was quiet for a long while. "Because Blaze was a monster, just like me. I knew what he'd do if he got his hands on you. But you didn't kill me when you had the chance. Figured I'd return the favor."

"By killing your brother."

"I didn't really have a choice, did I?" Felix said harshly. He then sighed. "Truth is I don't even know if he was my brother. We were both children when the Legion conquered our tribe. We were the only two boys of the right age to train to be legionaries. We looked similar, with the same white hair, so everyone just assumed. But we did grow up together. I guess I can add killing my own family to my list of crimes."

"Fratricide." Boone provided.

"What?"

"The word for killing your brother."

"There's a word for that?" Felix said incredulously. "That was something I didn't need to know, Boone."


	7. Ex Granis Fit Acervus

**Chapter 7: Ex Granis Fit Acervus (A heap is made from grains)**

"Oh, Boone." Felix said maliciously as he looked over Nipton through his scope. "Today is your lucky day."

"What? Why?" Boone asked from his position beside his partner. Both lay prone on a hill overlooking the town.

"That man down there in the dog hood?" Felix began. "I think I recognize him. I _think_ that's Vulpes Inculta."

"Vulpes Inculta?! Leader of the Legion frumentarii?" Boone asked skeptically.

"But that's not all. I never told you how I convinced Jeannie May to follow a stranger to the edge of town in the middle of the night, did I?" Felix grinned to himself. "I played the Legion card. I wanted a confession straight from the bitch's mouth."

"And?"

"Oh, I got it alright. She also let slip the name of the legionary she made the deal with. A man going by the name Mr. Fox."

"Mr. Fox?"

"Ah, your Latin's a bit rusty; fox translates to _Vulpes_."

"Vulpes? Vulpes Inculta?!"

"I can't be certain, but that man standing in the center of Nipton may well be the man who bought your wife." Felix continued quickly. "I know you might want to make him suffer, but don't. Just kill the bastard. He's cunning and devious. Even injured I wouldn't want to get within twenty feet of him. Shoot to kill and don't miss." Felix didn't even have a chance to get his eye back to his scope before the shot rang out. He was left scrambling for a target and wasn't as useful as he'd hoped he'd be. Eventually Boone stopped shooting.

"Flush them out." Boone demanded.

"Alright." Felix said with a shrug and shouldered his hunting rifle before heading into the town. A few minutes later Felix stood looking up at one of the crucified Powder Gangers. Boone finally came jogging into town a short while later.

"What took you so long?" Felix asked not taking his eyes off the Powder Ganger.

Boone wouldn't admit it but the reason it had taken him so long to get to the town after he finished killing everyone in red was because he couldn't pull his scope off the last legionary standing in town. The carnage around him reinforced the fact that Felix was a monster. He had done things like this massacre before. He'd nearly pulled the trigger before he caught himself. It was for the greater good, he convinced himself. He could kill far more legionaries with Felix's help than alone.

"They're still alive?" Boone asked as he approached his companion.

"No. They're dead." Felix assured. "Between the savage beatings and the crucifixion, moving them will kill them."

"I guess you'd know." Boone seethed.

Felix pulled out his knife and reached it up toward the Powder Ganger. Deftly, he slipped the knife between the convict's ribs under his armpit and into his heart.

Once Felix had dealt with the Powder Gangers he approached the corpse of the man who had been wearing the dog head.

"How did you know it was Vulpes Inculta?" Boone asked gruffly.

"I worked with him once. He's not a man you forget." Felix poked the headless body with a toe. "We should check the town. There may be traps."

They thoroughly looting the town and city hall but found no survivors. They left town the next morning after spending the night in one of the houses.

Felix debated his words as they walked. He finally settled on what he hoped wouldn't get him killed. "Boone, about your wife…" He began haltingly. Before he could continue Boone had turned to face him and grabbed a handful of Felix's shirt collar.

"You better be _real_ careful about what you say next." Boone growled threatening.

"Did you kill her?" Boone was silent as he glared at Felix. "The only way you could have been certain it was Legion was if you saw them. And if you _saw_ them, you could've taken a shot." Felix considered aloud, working it out as he went. "But they had a head start. Would've been moving fast, carrying her so as not to risk the child. Even at your fastest, you couldn't have caught them until they stopped. Probably in Cottonwood Cove?" He finally asked. Felix saw Boone's face twitch when he mentioned Cottonwood Cove. They'd steered clear of Cottonwood Cove so far; there were too many legionaries for their fledgling partnership to take on. Instead they'd been slaughtering any patrol that left there. "Camps too big to even take on together. You alone would've never gotten close. So I'm guessing you had the opportunity. My question stands, did you kill her?"

"Why the hell do you even _care_?" Boone growled.

"You did, didn't you?" Felix accused. "Not many men could do that. It was a mercy, to everyone involved." He saw Boone go for the machete on his belt and let him. He even let him raise it to his throat.

"What do you know about _mercy_?" Boone seethed.

"Not much, you're right. But I _do_ know what awaited both of them if they had lived. I don't need to share the details, but what you do need to know is they didn't suffer because of you. And as little comfort as it may be to you, at least you _know_ what happened."

Boone sighed and relaxed the knife against Felix's throat. "What they do to women... that's worse than death. There was no choice in what I did. All this was only ever going to play out one way. It still is. I don't have any say. All I can do is wait for it to be done with me."

Felix was confused by what Boone said. He wasn't sure if he missed something or if Boone was being vague on purpose. "Wait for _it_ to be done with you? What do you mean?"

"It was gonna be something. If I'd never met Carla, it would've been something else. I should've never gotten close to her. I've got bad things coming to me."

"Whys that?"

"Because fair is fair." Boone sighed grimly looking at the dirt.

"You're not gonna tell me, are you?"

Boone raised his eyes back to Felix's. "No." He said succinctly.

"Then you mind moving that machete?"

Boone grumbled but lowered the machete then stomped off. Felix followed, a few paces behind to let him cool off.

"I think it's time we part way, Boone." Felix said as he kicked dirt on the previous night's fire.

"Why?"

"I've got business on the Strip that I've let linger far too long."

"You think I'd let you go wander the Strip _alone_?" Boone growled.

"You can come if you want, but I plan on coming back once I've dealt my package thief."

"Package thief?"

"I was robbed in Goodsprings before I got to Novac. I plan on getting my package back and killing the bastard who put me in the ground."

"What are you talking about?"

"He robbed me, shot me twice in the head and buried me in a shallow grave." Felix pointed to the month old scars on the left side of his head. "A damn good doctor saved my life."

"I thought those looked like bullet wounds."

The trip to the Strip was uneventful. Felix looked up at the sign above the heavy metal door. "Free… side?"

"The slum around the Strip." Boone provided as he put a shoulder against the door and pushed. Felix followed him in.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" The greaser in the leather jacket greeted them as they entered the town. He was flanked by two cronies in whitish t-shirts. "Anyone wearing NCR colours needs to pay a toll to get into town." He said as he eyed Boone's beret.

Boone sighed. "How much?"

"A hundred caps should do it." He laughed.

Boone just wanted this over with. He knew the NCR wasn't welcome in Freeside. He moved to get the caps from his pack but Felix moved first. Felix lashed out at the leather jacket wearing thug and had the other two on the ground before Boone could draw his rifle. Felix grabbed leather jacket guy by the throat with one hand and shoved him up against the gate, lifting his feet off the ground easily. Boone finally had his rifle out and aimed it at Felix's head.

"Let him go!" Boone shouted. Felix turned his head toward Boone. Boone saw a wild blood lust in his eyes he hadn't seen before. Felix blinked and it was gone.

"Why?" Felix asked, still holding the thug by the throat. The thug was struggling to no avail. "They're raiders, aren't they?"

"They just thugs." Boone said quickly. "Let. Him. Go." He added menacingly, tucking his rifle against his shoulder and moving his finger to the trigger.

Felix looked between the leather jacket guy and Boone a few times before sighing in defeat and dropping the guy. The guy landed on his feet but immediately fell to the ground, coughing for breath.

"I don't understand, Boone." Felix said as the two other thugs grabbed their friend and ran off. "They tried to threaten us. If someone out in the wasteland did that you'd let me kill them."

"This isn't the wasteland. This is a town." Boone growled. "Those kids couldn't have won a fight against even _one_ of us. You need to respond with proper force to a minor threat. You can't just kill everyone who crosses you!"

Felix looked at Boone contemplatively, crossing his arms over his chest. "So minor threat, minor response?"

"Right." Boone said as he eased his finger off the trigger.

Felix walked beside Boone shaking his head. "This is a bad idea, Boone."

"We need caps to get onto the Strip. McCarran has honest work."

"But it's _McCarran_!"

"So you better be on your best behavior."

"You do realize what you're asking me to do right? Not only walk into the enemy stronghold but do so with you by my side. _One_ word from you and I'm dead."

"Then I guess the question is how much do you trust me?"

Felix groaned loudly. "You know, my life would be a _lot_ easier if I just killed you in your sleep."

"Then why don't you?" Boone said, readying his grip on his rifle.

"Cause we're not enemies." Felix stated obviously. "We may not be friends but we are allies. The enemy of my enemy, right?"

Boone sighed, easing up his grip. "I have no intention of ratting you out. A little goodwill from the NCR will go a long way in helping us in the field."

"Fine. But can we make this quick?"

It wasn't long after that they came upon the entrance to Camp McCarren. Felix was obviously tense, following a step behind Boone.

As they approached the guard station, the guard shouted to them. "Hey hey! First Recon! What's up?"

"Looking for work. Heard the brass is looking for mercs." Boone answered with a nod.

"Yeah." The guard nodded. "Shit's piled up a mile high around here. Dhatri's got the bounties. You know where to go?"

"Yeah."

The guard nodded back and rolled open the gate for them.

Felix followed Boone into the camp. His eyes fell on the rows and rows of tents and he couldn't stop himself. "Wow." He said quietly as they walked.

"Pretty impressive." Boone agreed.

"No, actually." Felix corrected.

"What?" Boone glared over at Felix.

Felix leaned in so only Boone could hear him. "You want impressive, you should have seen the camp at the Fort before the First Battle of Hoover Dam. Compared to that, this is nothing."

"You were in the battle?" Boone glared at Felix.

"No. Scout, remember? I was working with a smaller unit that crossed the river to the south." Felix stood back upright as they approached the lines of tents. He followed Boone through the twists and turns of the camp until they came upon a jovial looking, dark skinned, bearded man.

"Major." Boone said, coming to a stop and saluting. Felix watched the exchange with genuine curiosity.

The major turned abruptly and saluted back. "Well, I'll be damned! I'd heard whispers that the NCR's best sniper was back in the field." He offered a hand to Boone which Boone took. "Good to see you well, sergeant."

"Thank you, sir."

"What are you doing in McCarran? You're not here to reenlist, are you?" The major asked eagerly. "Cause we need every hand in the coming fight."

"No, sir."

"Too bad. Well, what can I help you with then?"

"Heard you had some bounties."

"You heard right. I've got three Fiends I want dead, and I don't give a goddamn how it gets done. That sound like something that interests you?"

"Yes, sir."

"First one calls herself Violet. God knows why - the name is the prettiest thing about her. Spends most of her time with a pack of vicious dogs. Then there's Driver Nephi. He's fast and he's brutal. Killed about a dozen of my men with a goddamn driver iron. Hence his name. And finally... Cook-cook. Rapist. Pyromaniac. And damn good chef, if you believe the Fiends we've captured. Probably the craziest of the lot. I'm not going to feed you any bullshit. These aren't your common Vegas trash. They've all killed good NCR men, and plenty of mercs, too. You go after them - any of them - you're in for a hell of a fight. So... which one is it going to be?"

"All three, sir."

The major laughed loudly. "That's what I like to hear! Anyone else and I'd think they were crazy but you just might manage it! Alright, you'll need info on you marks. Well, with Violet, watch out for the dogs. Nephi is one tough son of a bitch. You let him get close, and he'll take your head off. Alpha Team wants a crack at the bastard, so talk to Gorobets. And Cook-Cook. The piece of shit is pure animal. He raped one of my snipers, and that makes this personal. Also... he's got a flamethrower, and he's damn good with it."

"Raped?"

"Corporal Betsy."

Boone's shoulders started to shake at that and he clenched his fists. "Understood, sir."

"One more thing, Boone. No headshots. If you want the full reward, you need to bring me a recognizable head. My superiors need proof they're gone."

"Understood, sir."

"Good hunting, sergeant."

Felix followed as Boone turned and left. "If Alpha team wants a crack at this Nephi bastard we'll give it to them." Boone ground out as he walked. Boone led them to another tent. Felix's back stiffened when he saw the red berets in the tent.

"Well if it isn't the hero of Nelson!" A woman greeted when Boone steeped into the tent.

"Betsy." Boone replied. Felix stepped into the tent behind him. There were two young men in red berets, one woman who was relaxing on a couch and a man with some sort of rank. The last person, an older man in a Ranger hat with a customized rifle over his shoulder, confused Felix. _Ranger, sniper or both?_ He wondered.

"What brings you to McCarren, Boone?" The older man in the ranger hat asked.

"Bounties."

"Alpha Team has some debts to settle with those Fiends." The man with rank said as he shook his head. "We've seen too many of our people hurt by those bastards. Nephi especially. He's strong as a Brahmin bull, and he's fast. Seems like he usually runs with a gang of Fiends. Uses them for cover. We haven't been able to get a clean shot at him."

Boone stepped back a step and put an arm around Felix's shoulders. Felix nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden gesture. "I brought bait." Boone said with a wicked grin.

"Ba…?" Felix asked as it clicked. He sighed loudly. "_Fine_."


	8. Acta Non Verba

**Chapter 8: Acta Non Verba (Deeds, not words)**

"Nephi calls that building home, along with a lot of Fiends." Gorobets pointed to a partly collapsed building far in the distance. "This is the only cover where we can get close enough for a shot but we're still too far out for a clean shot. You need to draw Nephi out and bring him and his lackeys a hundred yards closer for us to be able to take the shot without putting you in danger." Felix looked at the building in the distance.

Everyone spread out and found a good vantage point. Felix dropped his pack and rifle beside where Boone had set up. He then sauntered off toward the building, occasionally twirling the machete in his hand.

"I think he's dead, Boone." Betsy said after five minutes.

Boone had his scope trained on the door Felix had gone in. He was getting worried. He'd thought a bunch of drugged up junkies would be nothing to a former Legionary. As he was debating going in after him, he saw movement in the doorway. Felix was absolutely _covered_ in blood. The machete in his right hand was dripping and he had a crudely removed head by the hair in his left hand that was also dripping. His clothes were soaked in blood and gore, barely an inch of him looked like it had been spared. His face was splattered with blood that he must have tried to wipe away since it was streaked sideways. Boone's breath hitched in his throat and his finger moved to the trigger. All he could see was a legionary, clad in bloody legion red, marching toward him with a severed head.

"Jesus fucking Christ on a pogo stick." Betsy said aloud. She must have been looking at what Boone was looking at. "What the hell did he _do_? Hack everyone to bits?"

_Maybe_. Boone thought to himself. This was just further proof Felix was a monster. But as long as Boone could control him, he was useful. Too useful to get rid of. He slipped his finger off the trigger.

Eventually, Felix reached the group. He tossed the head to the ground with a satisfied grin. "This him? He was using a golf club."

"What the hell happened?" Betsy asked.

Felix noticed they were all staring at him. He glanced down at himself then back at them. "You've never _really_ been in a melee fight to the death, have you?" They just kept staring, or in Boone's case, glaring. "Spoiled snipers." He said shaking his head. Felix shucked off his soaked jacket and tossed it to the ground in a ball. He was left in a slightly bloodstained, dark t-shirt. He pulled a spare shirt out of his bag and wiped off his face and hands before cleaning off his machete. Then he tossed the soiled shirt on top of the jacket.

"Who's next?" Felix asked happily as he grabbed his pack and rifle.

Cook-Cook. Betsy and 10 of Spades stuck with Boone and Felix while the others headed back to McCarren with Nephi's head. They wandered a ways until they came across a house in the middle of nowhere. The snipers set up on a nearby ridge, content to wait for their target. Felix lounged near Boone, deciding he wasn't needed.

"I'm bored." Felix lamented after a half hour of nothing.

"What are you, a child?" Boone asked insultingly.

Felix fake laughed. "Ha. Ha. Very funny. Let me be the bait again."

"Cause that worked so well last time." Boone said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, it did." Felix argued. "Look, it's a small house, probably less than ten fiends. I'll just go in there and-"

Betsy interrupted angrily. "Cook-Cook uses a flamer. Whatever fancy moves you have will be useless against that in close quarters."

Felix huffed derisively but was silent again.

After another half an hour Felix had had enough. He jumped to his feet, machete in hand, and started toward the house.

"Felix!" Boone yelled, trying to grab his ankle as he went by.

"I'll be back." He said with a wave and grin as he walked.

Boone watched as Felix sauntered toward the house. He walked up to the door and knocked. Fucking _knocked_. After a solid minute of nothing he took a step back and kicked the door in. He charged in and vanished from sight. Boone scanned the doorway and the windows but only saw passing signs of a struggle. After less than a minute, Felix appeared back in the doorway, his arms outstretched into the house. He gave a great heave and he and a giant clad in full metal armour came stumbling out. The giant was wielding a flamer and was covered head to toe in heavy metal.

"Fuck!" Betsy shouted. "I'll try." She quickly lined up a shot on the giant and fired. The bullet hit his helmet, momentarily staggering him, but nothing more. "Boone, you got any AP rounds?"

"No." Boone said quickly. The giant regained his foot and roared loud enough for the snipers to hear. He then leveled his flamer at Felix. "Shit!" Boone said in realization as he watched Felix keep his distance. "He thinks we have this." Boone grabbed his rifle as he clamoured to his feet.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He heard from behind him as he ran. Boone watched the steel giant spay the whole area, including the house, with chemical flames as he sprinted the 800 yards toward the fight. By the time he got close enough to be heard, the house was fully engulfed in flames. "That armour is too thick!" Boone yelled as he panted for breath.

Felix glanced toward Boone wide eyed. "Boone?! What the hell- Shit!" Boone's voice had drawn the giant's attention and he swung the flamer around to his direction. Before Boone could react, Felix crashed into the giant's side. The blow only staggered him. The giant whipped the flamer around and caught Felix in the head, sending him flying and then rolling across the ground. Boone pulled his rifle up to his shoulder and took aim. He fired all five of his rounds into the metal chest plate, hoping the reduction in distance would provide enough increase in power to pierce the armour or at least get the giant's attention. It got the giant's attention alright, but little else. Boone turned towards the house, the only cover nearby. He moved to run knowing he would be too slow. But the fireball never came. He hesitated a moment; just long enough to see the giant drop to his knees. Then he collapsed, face down in the sand. Boone could see the handle of a machete sticking out of the small gap between helmet and chest plate. The rest of the machete was entirely buried in the giant's torso.

Boone's lifted his eye from the fallen giant to the panting man kneeling behind it. "Felix!" He called running in his direction. As he approached he saw the right side of Felix's head was dripping blood. "Come on." Boone implored as he knelt to help him up. "Our packs are on the ridge."

"I'm… fine." Felix panted. Boone tried to grab his arm to hoist him up. "I said I'm fine!" Felix shouted, shaking Boone's hand off his arm and standing up. He nearly lost his balance, but made it to his feet.

"You've probably got a concussion." Boone tried.

"What the hell is a concussion?" Felix asked as he wiped a handful of blood off the side of his head.

"It's… not good." Boone said haltingly. "Come on." He gently prodded Felix forward. Felix started walking in the direction he was pushed. His steps were awkward and unsure. They eventually reached the ridge and Felix staggered up the hill.

"Sit." Boone ordered.

"Don't fucking order me around." Felix said roughly. The words didn't have the impact they should have since a moment later he lost his balance and sat down heavily in the dirt.

"Damn, that's a l-l-lot of blood." 10 of Spades stuttered.

Boone dug in his pack for a spare shirt and a stimpak. "Hold this against your head." Boone ordered again. Felix glared at him but couldn't focus his eyes properly. He took the shirt and pressed it to his head. "You two should head back to McCarren." Boone said to the pair of watching snipers. "He'll need some time to clear his head."

"Alright, Boone." Betsy agreed. "We'll grab that bastard's head and take it back for you. Have to say I'm kinda looking forward to cutting it off." A moment later the pair was gone.

Boone took the stimpak and went to inject it into Felix's neck. As he did, his hand brushed against still wet blood on the back of Felix's left shoulder. That wasn't right. It's been a few hours. In this heat the blood should all be dry. He looked closer and noticed a hole in the dark, bloodstained shirt.

"Did you get stabbed?" Boone asked as he inspected the lightly bleeding wound.

"I think so?" Felix slurred. "Nephi had a _lot_ of friends."

"You should have said something." Boone said angrily. Felix made a noise that indicated he didn't care. "Take off your shirt." Felix complied and Boone noticed that his left shoulder only showed the slightest signs of injury as he moved. Felix got his shirt off and threw it in the sand. Boone saw the small stab wound on top of the heavy scar tissue. He tried not to be distracted by the myriad of scars or let his mind wander to how Felix got them. He figured he knew. Boone applied the stimpak to Felix's shoulder.

"You still with me?" Boone asked.

"Yeah. Things are clearer." Felix said more strongly. The pair was silent while Boone stitched up Felix's shoulder and then the gash in his head. "Thanks, Boone." Felix said when Boone finished.

"That bastard would have cooked me alive if you hadn't gotten his attention." Boone stated as he put their medical supplies away. "I should be thanking you."

"Yeah, well. I'm not going to hold my breath for that." Felix grabbed the bloody but mostly dry dark shirt from the sand and shrugged back into it. "One more, right?"

"You up for it?"

"I'll be more patient this time."

It was easy to be patient this time because this time he had to kill dogs. Felix hated killing dogs. He and Boone had no place to set up so they found the best angle of attack and slowly moved in.

"Dogs are fast." Boone explained. "Lead your targets. Once they catch our scent they'll charge us and the shot will be easier."

Felix had a bit of trouble steadying his hands but still managed several kill shots. Not near as many as Boone, but that was an impossible standard to live up too. Felix gathered the head since he was already covered in blood and they headed back to McCarren as night fell.

"You're exhausted." Boone stated as they walked. He could see it in the way his partner walked, the way he held himself, even the way he was breathing. Felix didn't respond. "You're not in the Legion anymore. You don't need to keep up the tough as nails act."

"But I _am_ tough as nails." Felix said with a tired grin.

"We can probably spend the night at McCarren." Boone thought aloud.

"Hell no. It's one thing being there awake. It's a completely different situation if I have to sleep."

"Then what do you suggest?" Boone asked harshly.

Felix thought about it. "Uh… Maybe…"

"We're staying at McCarren."


End file.
